Disclaimer: Don't own either series, this is just for fun.
Warnings: None, ya'll are safe.
Enjoy!
Chapter 21: All the wild horses
Rain pounded on the windows as they drove on through North Dakota. Nothing was recognizable to Clary as they powered on through the state. She slept off and on in the backseat. Dean had ignored the road map that Cas had found in the glove compartment. Her nausea would abate for a few hours before coming back with a vengeance and she hated the way sensations ran riot in her body. The radio crooned out a Willie Nelson tune and her chest lightened and she drifted off the sleep again. When she woke up again they were pulling into a driveway. The splattering of rain on the windshield as she tilted her head to look at the back of Dean. The way he hummed along to the music as he played with the turn signal. She could look over at Cas to see him watch the scenery out of the windows or read the map, occasionally throwing out a comment about directions. Watching them and staying inside the truck made her stomach settle and the aches in her body dull.
Clary adjusted herself, easing her seat belt around her as she sat up. A sign stuck out from the ground, its text a block-y blur from the water running down her windows. She could make out the shapes of cars in the distance and was reminded of Ben's yard and shivered. Scooting closer, the vague outline of a house came to her eyes. Dean parked the car with the tiniest jolt. The the overhead light clicked on. Clary rubbed her eyes. Chuck groaned next to her and when she turned around, she could see his hair sticking up every which way.
"Ok boys and girls this is our stop." Dean said.
Clary gathered up her things, namely her mid-sized duffle bag and a water bottle that she stuffed into her jacket pocket. Chuck took a bit longer to get his things and Clary pushed his bags to him with her free hand as she slung the duffle over her shoulder. She waited another moment before opening her car door and stepping outside. Clary gasped as the first fat droplets hit her neck. Shivering, she pulled her coat up over her head. Chuck yelped as he stood outside, slamming his door. Clary followed Dean as he jogged up a muddy path lined with soggy shrubs. A long wrap around porch with a broken swing lying on its side greeted them. As soon as she was under its protection, Clary lowered her coat and shook her head like a wet dog. Dean caught the gesture and smirked, unaffected when she glowered in response. He turned to face the door, face sobering. Dean raised a hand, and it hovered for a moment. Chuck cleared his throat and Dean knocked on the door.
Thunder boomed in the distance, and Clary felt it reverberate in her gut, but she could have sworn she heard the tread of someone's shoes from inside the house. Dean stepped back mere minutes before the door opened to reveal Sam Winchester. His mouth was half open. Whatever he was about to say was stoppered. He stared. Lightening streaked through the sky.
"You're here." Sam's voice was oddly flat. Dean gave him a shaky nod.
"Yeah."
Sam held Dean's gaze. Clary watched, a curious feeling overtaking her. Like she was shrinking past their notice. The two appeared to not care if the world slipped away-no, the world narrowed down to just the two of them. Yet, it didn't bother her. She could see their expressions for what they were. Clary's chest felt too heavy. There was no one for her to share that look with. A look that she would be lucky to have. Before she could count down the minutes or quantify these emotions any farther, Sam darted forward and embraced his brother.
Dean grunted in surprise as the the taller man thudded into him and clasped him tight. Sam's cheek smushed into Dean's ear. Clary could see that Sam's hands were shaking. Dean froze, eyes wide. He paused. Sam hesitated and began to pull back but Dean grabbed him by the shoulders and hugged him back. For a brief moment, Dean buried his head in the crook of Sam's shoulder. She wasn't sure how long they stood there, or what it was that made them sense that it was time to stop but they pulled apart and scrutinized each other.
"Come on." Sam said.
Sam led them inside. To Clary the clutter was new and familiar at once. The foyer was narrow by virtue of being full of things. Books piled high beside a coat rack. Clary looked up to see a spring of some kind of plant nailed to the top of the entryway. On the opposite side of the coat rack were two rifles. She assumed they were loaded. Hushed voices came from the living room and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Clary kept Chuck within her sights as she tried not to press behind Dean. Sam entered the room first.
"Look what the cat dragged in."
Clary peered into the room. Jo and Ellen sat at the kitchen table with a man wearing a faded trucker cap. His gaze was piercing and alert. He twisted in his seat and it took Clary a moment to realize that he was in a wheelchair. A shotgun lay across his lap. He looked back up to Cas, who gave a small nod of his head. He in turn gave a small nod of his own before he rested his gaze on Dean.
"You look like crap, son."
"Nice to see you too Bobby."
The two stared at one another without speaking and by watching the two of them, Clary felt her tension leave immediately. Jo and Ellen were eyeing the two of them. Jo's smile was wide and her shoulders gave a little slump. Ellen put an arm around Jo and extended a hand to Clary. She gave the older woman a hesitant smile and was about to bypass Cas to move over to their side when Sam moved past Bobby. Sam patted his shoulder and was about to speak when someone cleared their throat.
Gabriel wandered into the kitchen and waved at the newcomers. A half eaten candy bar was in his hand. Dean narrowed his eyes and Sam avoided the gaze of either of them. Bobby's mouth went into a hard line. Ellen and Jo looked a little more neutral. Gabriel closed the sliding doors that connected the living room and the kitchen together. He gave the once over and smirked.
"Heya kids."
"Hello Gabriel." Cas said.
"What's he doing here?" Dean asked.
Cas gave Dean an odd look, as did Sam and Gabriel. Dean gave a little shrug at their scrutiny. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
"What? It's a legitimate question." Dean said. "Guy's flaky. Thought you would have bailed by now."
"Uh, did ya miss the part where Lucifer stabbed me?"
"Dean." Sam said, voice firm. "He's with us. More or less."
"More or less." Dean repeated.
"Yeah." Sam shrugged.
He was about to say more, but Gabriel cut him off.
"Much as I looove touching reunions, I think we oughta get down to business. Hey Chuck, how's it going?"
Now that attention had been called to him, Chuck shrank back. He pointed one index finger at the archangel.
"Y-you're Gabriel."
Gabriel dipped his head. "Sup?"
Chuck gave another jittery laugh. "Not so bad, all things considering. You?"
Gabriel laughed back, a sound of genuine pleasure. Dean blinked in surprise as Cas smiled at the scene. Dean looked to Sam, who had a soft, odd smile. A thump came from the other room. Chuck started and Dean frowned.
"Got someone you don't want us to know about?"
"No." Bobby said. He jerked a thumb at Gabriel. "He-"
"It's Isabelle and-"
"Isabelle's alive?" Clary asked. "Is she ok? What about Alec and Magnus, and-"
Gabriel shoved open the doors. "Ask her yourself."
Jo and Ellen exchanged looks, frowns deep and identical. Clary turned and went into the living room. Two women were seated on the couch. One was Isabelle. She leapt up out of her seat when she saw Clary, dark eyes wide. Her expression incredulous and Clary was surprised at how wide Isabelle's smile was. Movement caught Clary's eye. The woman put down the book and stared at her. Clary sucked in a breath, her gut clenched, and she couldn't feel her legs anymore.
"Clary. Your alive." Isabelle said.
Clary shook her head as if trying to get rid of a fly. Isabelle's voice sounded far away. The woman-Jocelyn gaped at her. Her face suffused with emotion, for in Clary's mind, what must have been months. Jocelyn shifted in her seat, setting her book aside. Clary squirmed under her scrutiny.
"Clary? This is Clarissa?" she asked.
She kept staring at Clary, but her question was answered by Ellen.
"Yes honey, this is your daughter."
Clary's head whipped to Ellen and Jo, both of them tense as if expecting a fight. Clary frowned.
"What does that-of course I'm her daughter-" She turned back to face Jocelyn. "Mom, what does that mean?"
Jocelyn swallowed, eyes glassy and bright. She patted the empty seat next to her.
"Sit down Clarissa."
"Clary."
"Clary, right of course."
Clary sat down, limbs buzzing as she did so. The fabric of the couch was scratchy, but beyond that the texture was nothing to her. Her throat felt lodged, chest heavy as if she had swallowed a cold stone. Even Ithuriel's fluttering grace couldn't do anything. Jocelyn kept staring but Clary couldn't hold her gaze for long, dropping her eyes to her lap. She wanted to leave. Frowning, she stifled her train of thought. Jocelyn was beginning to speak.
"Something happened..."
"What?" When she didn't answer, Clary stood up straighter. "What."
Jocelyn began to speak and a part of Clary still found it difficult to hear what was being said to her, but she cleared her throat.
"I know you want answers. I can see why-"
"Oh?" Clary gave a little hum and stared. "You know why I would want to know about my parents. My father and my brother-" the words burned her mouth, she had to spit them out before they could hurt her further. "Why wasn't I told about Jace? About this life that should have been mine." Clary gave a bitter little laugh.
Jocelyn flinched and then her eyes hardened. "A life that isn't worth having. A life too short to enjoy from the moment they put a sword in your hands. Taught to hate-my friends turned to strangers and my husband." She choked. "My husband took my children away from me. Made my son a monster-"
"Jace isn't a monster."
Jocelyn gave Clary a look of horrified pity. "Oh. Oh honey. I don't know what you've been told, but-"
"But what? He has demon blood?" At Jocelyn's flinch she nodded. "Yeah, I know about that. I know that he can still love, despite what Valentine's done to him. Done to both of us."
"What did he do to you?"
"Angel blood." Clary shrugged. "More than normal."
"That explains the runes." Isabelle said.
Cas nodded along with her words but said nothing.
"It's also why I'm a-" Clary cleared her throat. "Upset. Blood doesn't define us. I don't know why you think-"
"Jonathan is different. Demon blood does terrible things, it would burn away his humanity."
"His name is Jace." Clary's mouth fixed in a firm line.
Jocelyn sighed. "It's not a life you would have wanted Clary." her voice was soft.
Clary's shoulders sagged. "Maybe. But it was my choice to make."
"I'm not sorry I took it away." Jocelyn said. "If I could do it over again, I would. I would do everything over again."
Clary frowned. "I can't all have been bad."
Jocelyn shook her head. "You and Lucien. " Her lips twisted up so fast, Clary thought she imagined it and it was replaced by a wistful smile. "Now it's gone. And I couldn't stop it. Oh, I know. I have you-now. Now, after my memories are gone."
"What?"
"Don't look so shocked. I had to wake up somehow. Jo, Ellen, and your friend Simon-the vampire- used a counter spell that didn't match, so I lost my memories when I woke up. Before you ask, yes memories of you. I took you away from this life, watched you grow up, and then I lost those memories."
Clary leaned back in her seat. She was glad everyone was silent, despite their stares. Her gaze rounded on Jo and Ellen. She scowled.
"How could you do this to her? You were supposed to wait. I had the white book-and"
"Enough." Isabelle snapped. "Clary, your mother is alive. Isn't that enough for you? Don't forget, some of us don't have mothers anymore." Isabelle cut herself off.
Clary flushed, tears pooling in her eyes. She raised her arms up once and then looked down at her shoes. When she felt calmer, she turned to look at her mother.
"And Idris was destroyed." Jocelyn said. "They had no realistic way of knowing you were alive, let alone knowing that."
"Then why didn't you stay in the city?" Clary sat up. "I tried to find you."
"It was too much of a risk to stay." Ellen said. "Downworlders are very angry about what's happened to them and without shadowhunters to balance it out, it was going to get ugly. Look, I even felt nervous about leaving Simon there-"
"Simon's alive?" Clary asked. "I couldn't find him either."
"He kinda went underground. Tried to help the rest of the downworlders there." Jo put in. "I call him once a week."
"I wanna talk to him."
"Ok."
Clary sat up and Jocelyn followed suit. The air hummed with tension. Gabriel perked up.
"Battle plan?" He asked.
"Sounds about right to me." Bobby said. "I'll go put on some coffee."
"Ah family reunions. Bring out the best in all of us." Gabriel said.
Sam elbowed him as Dean scowled and everyone tried to fit into Bobby's kitchen.
SPNTMI
Bobby groused as extra chairs were pulled into the kitchen, but set down mismatched mugs of steaming coffee.
"Alright, time to go behind the music." He addressed Dean, Cas, Clary, and Chuck.. "Don't be shy."
Dean nodded. "Show me yours if I show you mine."
Sam laughed. He fumbled for something in his pocket and when he set it on the table, Cas sucked in a breath.
"That belonged to Famine." He looked up at Sam. "How did you get this?"
Sam exchanged a look with Isabelle before trading a longer stare with Gabriel. He shrugged, jerking a thumb at Gabriel. Sam was almost smirking.
"I think he's magic."
Gabriel scoffed. "You're never gonna let that go? I make one stupid joke and I have to hear about it for the rest of my life?"
"Yes." Sam's lips were twitching.
Dean frowned, looking back and forth between Sam and Gabriel. Isabelle cleared her throat and launched into their encounter with the horseman Famine. They took turns in some places, with a certain rehearsed-ness to it. Dean's frown deepened but he didn't comment. Instead, he finished two rings out of his own pocket. War and Pestilence. Sam and Bobby peered down at the rings as Ellen traded looks with Dean and Jo.
"So there's something about Pestilence." Dean said.
"He's got a great sense of humor?" Gabriel said.
"He's planning something." Cas said.
"Like...?" Isabelle asked.
"We're thinkin'...croatoan." Dean said.
"What?" Sam shook his head. "How?"
"We don't know." Cas replied. "Or when."
Cas then recounted what happened with Pestilence. Isabelle and Jo exchanged disgusted looks as Bobby poured Ellen another shot. Dean made a gimme motion for a shot as well. Bobby raised his eyebrow and poured him a shot nonetheless. Dean raised it in thanks before downing it in a single swallow.
"And you haven't heard half of it."
"There's more?" Sam asked.
Clary and Dean exchanged a look. At Clary's nod, Dean continued with the story. He halted in a few places and whenever he did, Clary put a hand on his shoulder and he gave a basic rundown on events. Jocelyn frowned but said nothing.
"Then there was Chuck."
Isabelle groaned. "There's more?"
"You get used to it." Bobby said.
"Finally. Get to the good stuff." Gabriel said.
Chuck jumped in, adding pieces to Dean and Cas's version. As they went on, Gabriel scowled at the mention of Zachariah's name. Sam leaned forward at the mention of the sigils and how they used them. When they finished speaking, both Dean and Chuck motioned for another shot. When Isabelle offered one to Clary, she shook her head. Both of them ignored Jocelyn's grimace and the table was silent.
"So what now?" Ellen asked.
"We need a plan." Cas said.
"Obviously." Isabelle said. "I think she meant, as in what kind of plan."
"I vote that our next idea have a little less stupid on it." Bobby put in.
"Amen to that." Gabriel said.
Sam snorted in response but said nothing else. Jo sipped her beer. Clary shifted in her seat. The pounding inside her wasn't coming from her heart and she took a steadying breath. Little points of light danced across her vision. An insistent sensation. Clary closed her eyes. The spots vanished and in their place lines formed, taking a thick shape. A semi complex array of circles...The image didn't last long and it came with a feeling of confusion. Clary sent a wave of gratitude and warmth, smiling back when she received it in kind. Opening her eyes, she waved off the concern of Jocelyn, Ellen, and Dean.
"What about...angels?" Clary asked.
Dean scoffed. "Seriously? You saw Zachariah. That's what Heaven wants."
Clary raised up her hands. "I'm not saying they don't but what about Cas, he's from Heaven too. Maybe there are more like minded angels out there."
"It's worth a shot." Sam shrugged.
"Come on." Dean said.
"What other chance do we have?" Sam countered.
"Our allies are getting thin." Isabelle said.
Dean turned to the angel sitting next to him. "Cas?"
Cas paused. "I know I wasn't the only one who wanted the apocalypse to stop."
Dean looked ready to reply, but Gabriel interrupted him and Cas looked away. Ellen took another pull from her beer as Gabriel started to speak. Bobby stared at the archangel.
"Ok, so I know a guy." Gabriel said. "An angel. He knows how to get around. Top dollar he knows something."
"I have a feeling that finding him is gonna be the real trouble." Bobby said.
"Might be tricky, yeah." Gabriel said.
"Then I suggest we hurry." Cas said.
Gabriel grinned. "Knew you'd see it my way. So ya, you're totally coming with me."
"I am?"
"He is?"
Dean and Cas asked in unison. Gabriel gave a small smile at the nonplussed reactions around him. Cas nodded.
"Alright. I'll come with you."
"Glad we got that out of the way." Ellen said. "Now what do we do about those?"
She pointed to the three gleaming rings. Clary felt a flash of deja-vu but shook her head to clear it. Sam eyed them with distaste.
"Well these rings are the key's to my brother's cage." Gabriel put it.
"What?" Dean snapped, voice rising. "And you didn't think to tell us?"
"What I am? Mr. Exposition?" Gabriel huffed.
"Right now you are." Jo said. "What exactly do these rings do?"
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "There the keys that can open and close the section of hell reserved for my bro'. Need all four of them though. And the incantation to open the cage. Not too mention having to trick Lucy back inside his box."
"But you know the incantation?" Bobby asked.
"Well sure but that's not the hard part." Gabriel said. "We need the last ring. Death's."
"We get it. Easier said than done." Dean said. "Where can we find him?"
"Like I know the answer to that?" Gabriel said.
"Answer's in the lore." Bobby said.
"What about the sword?"
Chuck spoke up for the second time. He cleared his throat as everyone's eyes turned on him again. He twirled the glass of whiskey in his hand.
"I mean this is a crazy strong weapon. Zachariah wanted it as much as Dean." He took a sip of his drink. "It's gotta be protected right? How we gonna do that?"
"The soul-sword had been under a host of enchantments when it was under the protection of the nephilim." Jocelyn said.
"Well we'll just have to make do with what we've got." Ellen said.
"Wait. Gabriel didn't you say that this weapon was meant for both Michael and Lucifer?" Sam asked. At Gabriel's nod he continued, "Well then couldn't they be killed by it?"
Gabriel's mouth tightened, but he couldn't cover up his expression quick enough and Sam's face fell a little. Dean leaned forward. He watched Sam's gaze turn contemplative. Gabriel seemed to be watching him too. Isabelle's expression was odd as she stared.
"Sam...?" Bobby asked.
"Well, what if...one of us used the sword on Lucifer?"
"Or Michael?" Dean said.
"Yeah." Sam replied.
"Easier said than done, kiddo." Gabriel said.
"Par the course." Isabelle spoke up.
Gabriel gave a quick glare but nodded. "True enough. Realistically, only Michael and Lucifer can wield Maellartach. That can extend to the vessels but that's about it."
Sam nodded. "Ok."
"So, what, the only two options of stopping Lucifer are really hard and might not work?" Clary asked.
"No, we've got three." Jocelyn replied. "The third is to ask for reinforcements from Heaven. Which, as I understand isn't friendly to our cause."
"Nope." Sam said.
"Now these reinforcements-" Jocelyn began.
Clary blinked, she sat straighter in her chair despite the discomfort it gave her.. Jocelyn was straight backed herself, but not an ounce of pain was on her face. In fact, she was schooling a cool mask on her face. Clary remember seeing glimpses of this expression. What she used to call her mother's scary-calm face was now what she now knew to be a shadowhunter poker face. All this time, and this side of her mother was sleeping inside her, waiting to come out. Clary nodded to herself.
'And likely to stay out. So she lost a daughter...and I lost a mom.'
"Perhaps you should not see it that way." Ithuriel stated.
"Maybe. I guess I thought I could handle loosing more things. But now..."
She let herself trail off and sent a wave of comfort to Ithuriel. She got another image of herself beside, what she assumed to be Ithuriel in a shape identical to her own. Ithuriel gave the mental image of squeezing Clary's hand. Clary smiled and returned to the conversation.
"So you're saying that we bust into Heaven, find these angels who are gonna help us, and take them back with us to stop the apocalypse?" Dean's voice more of a statement than a question.
"Yes." Jocelyn said.
Dean took another shot of whiskey and leaned back in his chair. Isabelle pulled her hair back into a ponytail as Jo stretched. Bobby exhaled in one long breath.
"Guess we better get started then."
SPNTMI
TBC...