Chapter Twenty-eight: Where the Dead Go
The room was dark, being lit with only candles. In Annabelle's bedroom, I watched and waited as she prepared for what we were about to do. I was going to do something completely crazy. Not that that was surprising. I would do anything for Dean. Anything I had to do to keep him safe. To keep him alive.
A ring of some salt was on the floor. A pillow and an essence bowl inside of it. I didn't ask questions. All I needed to know was how to get to him and how to get back. Anything else was irrelevant. I watched as we wrote something down and handed it to me.
"It should transfer with you. But just in case I suggest you memorize it." She told me. "It's the spell you need to get your soul and Dean's back into your bodies."
I nodded and read it repeatedly. Trying to memorize it as fast as I could. Annabelle motioned me forward, having me lay down inside of the circle. She sat next to me, closing her eyes, tilting her head back. A breeze moved through the room. I noticed her lips moving but no sound was coming from them. When she opened them she took a deep breath before looking down at me.
"It's time." She said softly. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." I told her. "But go over again with me. Just once more."
She nodded. "I'll say the spell. You'll slip deeply into sleep, your soul being sent to where Dean is. Once you find him all you have to do is take his hand and say the spell. It will bring you back to your body. But be careful. I'll protect your body but you'll have to hurry." She told me.
I nodded. "What will happen if it takes a while?" I asked her.
"If something happens here. Wherever you are you'll stay." She told me.
"What if something happens there?"
"You are still connected to your body. Just don't let yourself get into too much trouble."
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Do it." I told her.
"Close your eyes. Think of Dean." She replied.
I nodded, closing my eyes. It wasn't hard to think of Dean. He was all I thought about. He was my world. I held his face firmly in my mind. I heard Annabelle start to chant. I didn't listen to what she was saying. I kept Dean in my mind and a moment later it felt like I was being pulled away from my body. Annabelle's voice drifted away and when the feeling stopped I opened my eyes. I frowned. Instead of Dean's heaven, which was what I expected, I saw darkness. There was a red tint to the world and screaming was heard in the distance. I was in some sort of cave like structure. I moved through the small opening, looking out over what could only be Hell. There were chains with people hanging from them. Screaming or being tortured by what could only be demons. I was halfway up a cliff, a ledge on both sides. I had two ways to take. Only I couldn't imagine Dean being here. Something went wrong. I wasn't supposed to be here. Dean wasn't supposed to be here. He didn't deserve Hell.
I chose right, guessing as to what direction to take. I moved quietly and tried not to draw any attention to myself. It turned out that the direction I took was leading me higher up the cliff. I found a nook in the wall and slid inside of it. I didn't know what I was doing and this was not where I wanted to be. As I waited, freaking out, I tried to figure out what I should do. I was supposed to go to Dean. If he was here somewhere I wasn't going to leave until I found him. But I still couldn't believe that Dean would be here. I was still trying to wrap my head about all of this when I noticed the demons climbing. I tried to stay out of sight as I watched. They were crawling over each other, knocking each other down. Some falling from a lack of grip or from a lack of strength. There was no describing them. They seemed to have form but they weren't human. They looked like some sort of beast not of the normal world. But what could you expect from Hell? I could only assume that they were trying to escape. They say only the strong get free and this is what it took. Several started to pass over or right next to my hiding place. When it seemed that they were coming less and less I slowly moved forward. Just when I was about to start moving again a demon moved to enter the crack in the wall. I moved back but it was too late. It yelled out before grabbing me and throwing me out of the hole. I screamed, falling fast. I didn't know what would happen when I hit the bottom and I didn't want to find out. When I did demons started to moved around me. Screams seemed to intensify and before I knew it my wrists and ankles were being skewered with hooks attached to chains. They started to drag me. Dragging me closer to where the screaming was. I myself started to scream. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before. Blood flowing down my arms. Tears were streaming. I yelled for Dean. Hoping that he was close. If I could get to him I only needed a few seconds before we were out of here. But I didn't hear his voice. I couldn't see him. They were starting to string me up with others. I could hear laughter amongst the screams. The demons taking their pleasure in torturing. I pleaded for them to stop but I knew that they wouldn't. I was going to be doomed to remain in Hell unless I spoke the spell. I could only hope that we would be able to try again. I was just about to say it when the demons yelled out and a moment later I was being removed and carried away. It wasn't until we had stopped and I was taken off of my savior's shoulder that I was able to see who it was.
"John…" I said airily. "How…?"
"What are you doing here?" He asked me angrily.
I didn't reply. I threw my arms around him, hugging him as tightly as I could. I started to sob. I couldn't help it. He held me just as tight, his chin resting on the top of my head. When I finally released him I took his face in my hands, just wanting to look at him. He smiled and kissed my forehead. But then his face grew serious.
"What are you doing here?" He asked me again more calmly.
"I'm looking for Dean." I told him.
"What?" He frowned.
I explained what had happened. I told him of Annabelle and what we had done to get me here. He nodded, believing every word without question. I wouldn't lie and he knew what witches were capable of.
"So what should I do?" I asked him. "If Dean was here you would have known. They would be talking about it."
He nodded. "I don't know why you're here. But it's good to see you." He said with a small smile, putting his hand on my cheek.
"It's good to see you too." I said before putting my arms around his neck. "I've missed you so much."
"I know." He replied holding me tightly. "But now we have to worry about getting you out of here."
"How?" I asked him.
"I don't know." He replied running his fingers through his hair.
It wasn't going to be easy. John could get me through Hell as easily as he could. He had been here for a while now. Nearly a year. I could only imagine how long that had been for him. We moved through Hell until we reached where he had been staying. There was a small amount of papers with a candle for light. I frowned at all of it.
"I didn't think Hell would have paper and candles." I told him.
"Yeah, Hell's an interesting place all right." He replied.
"Sorry." I told him as I looked through the papers. "What is all this?" I asked him.
"Notes." He stated. "And stuff I remembered from my journal. Things I thought might come in handy."
"On climbing your way out?" I asked though I already knew the answer. He just looked at me. "I know why you did it. I'm grateful for what you did. But…John…eternity in Hell?"
"It was for Dean. I deserve this." He told me.
"You know that's not true." I told him harshly as I stepped up to him. "You deserve this as much as I do. You're a good man, John."
He just smiled at me before giving a short laugh. "And what's with this?" He asked motioning at my dress. I never changed out of it.
"Dean and I were about to get married. He was just about to place the ring on my finger when he was shot." I explained, my fingers rubbing where the ring was supposed to be sitting. "We were so close." I said with tears in my eyes.
"I'm so sorry." He replied pulling me against him. "We'll find him."
"God, I hope so. I can't live without him. I just can't." I told him, taking a deep breath. I looked up at him. "We almost made you a grandpa." I smiled at him.
"Really?" He smiled back before a frown crossed his face. "Almost?"
"A lot has happened since you've been gone. I can't even begin to explain everything." I said letting him go. "We should keep moving." I told him.
He nodded before rummaging through his papers. "Do you remember the spell she used to get you here?" He asked.
"No. I wasn't paying attention. I was focusing on Dean and then I ended up here." I told him, feeling rather hopeless. "I have the spell to get back but I don't want to use it unless I have to. I don't know if I'll be able to try again." I told him.
"You can't stay here." He told me. "And there's no time to climb out of Hell."
I nodded and tried to think of another way. "I don't know." I told him. "I don't want to leave him behind if he is here."
"He's not. I would know about it. Just say the spell. You need to get out of here. You'll be able to try again." He replied with a small smile.
"John…" I said looking at him sadly.
"I'll be okay." He told me. "Just go."
"John…" I said again. "I love you." I smiled.
"I love you too." He replied and kissed my forehead. "Now go."
I nodded and took out the spell. It rhymed and the whole bit. It was a mere five lines long and before I knew it I shot up. Annabelle was still sitting next to me.
"We have to try again." I told her.
"What?" She asked. "You didn't find him? What happened?"
"It didn't work. I went to Hell." I told her, standing. I quickly went and got a glass of water. I felt parched beyond belief.
"Hell?" She asked me as she followed.
I guzzled several glasses before nodding at her. "Yes…Hell." I said taking a deep breath. "Was I gone very long?" I asked her.
"Maybe twenty minutes." She asked.
"Huh, felt a lot longer there." I told her.
"What happened?" She asked.
"I ran into John Winchester. He saved me from the racks of Hell." I told her. "I've decided that I don't just hate demons. I loath then with my entire being."
"Jesus…" Annabelle whispered.
"So, can we do it again?" I asked her.
"Yes." She replied. "But I don't know if the result will be any different."
"Let's go over the spell again. Maybe a word is misplaced or we missed a step." I told her as we went back to the bedroom.
"I'll go over it again." She replied.
It took nearly an hour to go over everything again. The more she looked at it the more it seemed that everything was fine. That it just hadn't worked or that Dean really was in Hell. He was too good a person to be in Hell. I was starting to lose faith when Annabelle pressed her palm to her forehead and exhaled sharply. I looked at her, hopeful that she had figured it out. It was too simple to believe. She found one word that was misplaced. One simple little word. It was spelled right but not in the right context for the spell. It could have been just enough to make the spell work a little askew. The paper had to be burned after being read in order to work. It might have been a small enough flaw. I would try anything.
"If this doesn't work can we try something else?" I asked her.
"We'll do whatever we can." Annabelle told me softly.
"Thank you." I said and embraced her before I laid back down.
"You're welcome." She told me sweetly. "Alright, here we go again."
I closed my eyes and held tight to Dean's image in my head. We could repeat the process as many times as we needed to but I could only pray that this time it would work. I didn't want to prolong Dean's unconsciousness. We had things to do. We would kill Marissa as soon as possible. We'd find the colt and kill yellow-eyes. But in order to do any of that I needed Dean. I wouldn't have the strength otherwise.
When the drifting feeling left again I opened my eyes. I was once again in my field. A smile crossed my face when I heard a familiar barking. A moment later Cooper came running into view. I grinned and caught him as he launched himself into my arms. I fell backward holding the dog as he licked my face. I couldn't help but laugh. This time I was in the right place.
"I'm okay." I told my dog and he moved off of me. He whined loudly as he leaned against me. "You're such a good boy." I said stroking his coat.
I spent a short time with him before his ears perked and he started off through the field. Someone was running into view. I grinned, knowing that this time I had found him. Cooper barked and I knew that Dean was here. Dean was one of only two men Cooper liked. I ran forward, the person coming into view. I grinned wider as Dean became clearer. He looked serious when his expression became clear. I didn't care. I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. I kissed his lips fiercely. Taking his head in my hands.
"I found you." I told him.
"What are you doing here?" Dean asked me, pain in his eyes. "You didn't…" He started but couldn't finish.
"No, I'm not dead. I just took my soul for a little ride is all." I smiled at him.
"God I love you." He said and kissed me again. "But what are you doing here? I'm dead."
"No, you're not." I told him. "Your body is still alive. It's just your soul that moved on."
"How is that possible?" He asked.
"Annabelle." I told him. "She used her mojo to keep your body alive. She also had a set of spells to get me here and one for me to get us back. Your body is on life support in a hospital at the moment but once your soul is back inside of it you'll wake up."
"Okay." He said with raised brows.
"It's a lot to wrap your head around, I know. I had a little trouble myself. But if there was any chance of saving you it didn't matter." I smiled at him.
"Till death do us part." He smiled.
I laughed and kissed him deeply. "I couldn't let you leave me. Not just yet."
"We've got some hunting to do." He stated.
"We'll worry about that tomorrow. Right now, I want to see your heaven." I smiled.
He grinned and took my hand, leading me back the direction he had come.
We stayed awhile. Dean's heaven was everything he ever wanted or missed. His heaven was the house he grew up again. I'd been here before. But it had shifted. There were now pictures of us, a bed for Cooper. And he wasn't the only one who was there. Soon Mary walked into the living room with a big smile on her face. It was nice seeing her again. More then that, it was amazing to see Dean interact with his mother. Something he'd wanted since she had passed. She had greeted me like a daughter and made food in the kitchen, despite the fact that none of us needed to eat while in heaven. It was a nice gesture and it gave us the opportunity to talk. Dean had told her of the baby and everything that had happened. She gave me her condolences. I was grateful but that was in the past. There would be children in our future. Or so I hoped.
"I'm sorry that this happened during your wedding." Mary told us.
"Yeah, me too." I smiled running my fingers through Dean's hair. "We were so close."
"It'll happen." He replied but he had an odd expression. I was going to ask him about it when there was a knock on the door. We all frowned before Dean went to get it. "Jim…" I said when they had returned.
"I felt you come back." He smiled at me.
I nodded. "Hi." Was all I could seem to think of to say.
"So this is Jim?" Dean asked leaning against the counter next to me.
"Sorry." I said standing. "Dean, this is Jim. Jim, this is my fiancé Dean."
"Fiancé now?" Jim asked.
"Yes." I smiled.
"Sorry you had to lose two fiancés." Jim told me sadly.
"I didn't." I replied. "I'm here to get him. We're going back."
"How?" Jim frowned.
"Our bodies are still alive. I have a witch helping us. She gave me a spell that will take us back to our bodies. We'll be leaving soon." I told him.
"Oh." He said, sounding a little hurt.
This was awkward. My two fiancés in the same room. One of which was dead and the other nearly dead. Mary was kind enough to break the silence.
"You two should go. There is no reason to stay any longer." She told us with a small smile. "It was wonderful seeing you Dean. Despite the circumstances." She said hugging him tightly.
"You too Mom." He said with tears in his eyes.
I smiled before turning to Jim. "It was good seeing you again." I told him gently.
"Get back safely." He said hugging me briefly.
"Jim, it was a pleasure to finally meet you." Dean said shaking his hand.
"You too." Jim replied. "You better take care of her."
"I will. I promise." Dean said putting his arm around my waist.
"Mary…" I smiled hugging her. "I'm glad you were here."
"Me too. Send my love to Sammy, will you?" She smiled at me.
"Of course." I told her.
"Come on." Dean said taking my hand.
"Okay." I replied squeezing it tightly. "Ready?" I asked him.
"More then ever." He smiled.
I smiled back and said the words again. We were pulled away from his heaven, drifting back into our bodies. I shot awake, still in Annabelle's home. Less then a minute later, Sam called to tell me that Dean was awake. I grinned and passed the news onto Annabelle before we both rushed out the door, swiftly returning to the hospital. Running to Dean's room I saw him sitting up in bed. It took me only a moment longer before I rushed to him, smiling as I kissed him deeply.
"Hi, Baby." He smiled sweetly.
"Hi, Love." I said and kissed him again. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine." He said with raised brows. "Normal."
"Good." I said sitting on the bed next to him. "I was scared for a little while there." I told him, taking his hand in mine.
"So was I." He replied squeezing my hand.
"Now we have to find her." I told him. "Her time is up."
"How is all of this possible?" Sam said looking aggravated.
Dean and I frowned at him before I sighed. "I've kept him mainly in the dark." I told Dean.
"Why?" Dean asked.
"Because I was in too big a hurry to get you back to take the time to explain." I replied.
"So what happened?" Sam asked.
"Annabelle helped me with the use of two spells to send my soul to Dean's." I told him. "I was in Heaven and Hell in search of Dean's soul. It was an experience."
"Hell?" Dean frowned at me.
"Yeah. Your dad sends his love." I told them. They both looked at me with shocked expressions. "It was brief. Hell is Hell. It's not fun but he's dealing." They just nodded at me. "Anyway, I found Dean's soul and brought it back with my own." I finished. "Simple as that."
"Simple as that." Sam repeated.
"Yeah." I replied without looking at him. I sighed and stood. "Look, Sammy. I had to do what I had to do. I wasn't going to let Dean die and neither were you."
"But you could have told me." He replied.
"I wasn't in the right frame of mine to tell you." I replied. "Just don't hate me, okay?"
"I could never hate you." He said and hugged me.
"Good." I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"So, when can I get out of here?" Dean complained.
I grinned and fetched the doctor. There was nothing wrong with him so they had no reason to keep him. We were back in the impala before we knew it. Annabelle gave us a place to stay for the night. She disappeared for a while but her home was just like any other. We ordered a pizza and relaxed on the couch until sleep finally took us. In the morning we thanked Annabelle for all she had done. I left her my number, getting hers in return. It seemed that a friendship had formed. It may seem weird to other hunters, but in my mind it was a good thing. She would be helpful in the future if I ever needed her help again. One day I hoped that we wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore. One day we wouldn't have to worry about demons and all the other supernatural things in the world. One day I would be married to Dean and we would have a normal life together. Even if that means we pass our job down to our kids. But at some point in my life I wanted to have a normal life with him. I didn't want to worry about him dying from anything other then old age. Though I knew that was far to much to ask. There was still Marissa to worry about and she was our first priority now. She had nearly killed him once. It was only fair that we try and do the same.