Episode 16 – Welcome Committee
Summary: Charlie's plan was to help Dorothy save Oz, then kick back and relax for a bit back at the bunker. The Apocalypse, though? Not part of the plan.
Author's Notes: RL is crazy right now, but I finally managed to shovel free some writing-time!
AlchemyIndex over at deviantart drew more art for this fic! Take a look at their rendition of "Short Bursts" (Episode 8) and make sure to let them know how awesome it is: art/The-Good-Fight-Short-Bursts-494950769
xXx
"Welcome to the CNN catastrophe report," the news anchor says into the camera, no smile on her face. "Four days have passed since the devastating events in the San Francisco Bay area that caused the most extensive flood in recent history. More and more eyewitness reports are coming to light, describing what occurred not as an asteroid, but as two men fighting in the skies. Until this afternoon, no actual footage of the incident has been published, but now a student has uploaded a video that promptly went viral."
The picture cuts from the woman to the footage – it's grainy and has low resolution, even more so on the large television in the bunker's living room, but it doesn't matter. It shows what Dean saw with his own eyes and he really doesn't need to see Lucifer riding his brother's body one more time. He glances down at Castiel, who's huddled against his side, exhausted after days of research with no results to show for it.
"They just disappeared!" some grandma says on the TV. The header explains that she's one of the civilians who were at the coast that day. "And then they reappeared! One of them, nice young feller, grabbed me and then I was someplace else! They didn't say anything, but I think they're angels! God has sent them to save us!"
The picture changes again and the blonde journalist fills the screen once more.
"Across the globe people of every denomination have proclaimed that the Rapture is upon us. Churches are overflowing, temples filled to capacity. Meanwhile, Las Vegas reports to have not a single room left."
The program cuts to some guy in a suit, filmed against the Nevada desert that Dean would be able to pick out anywhere. The Suit talks about the sudden wave of visitors in Sin City and Dean can't blame them for wanting to blow off some steam. Hell, the religious nuts aren't far off, actually. Just there's gonna be no Jesus coming down and saving them in this version of Judgment Day.
After that, the news lady makes some half-assed transition to the suffering of millions all along the coasts of the North Pacific, urging the viewers to donate money to one of the national or international charity organizations or donation campaigns that have grown outta the ground like weeds.
From what Gabriel told them this morning, the angels are doing everything they can and by now, a lot of human help's arrived as well but Dean doesn't want to think about the many corpses littering the sea sides like fruit flies after you smoke 'em out with bug spray.
Dean kills the TV when they start showing footage of wrecked stripes of Japanese land.
"This ain't helping our morale," he grunts, eliciting a dry laugh from their most unwelcome houseguest.
"Oh, this is what you were trying to do, squirrel? Motivate us?"
"Yeah, next there'll be singing around the campfire," Dean grumbles.
All Crowley says is, deadpan, "Good. I've never tried smores."
Dean's in the middle of rolling his eyes and pulling Cas tighter against him 'cause the former angel's shifting on the sofa and while Dean love to replay that little moment four days ago when Cas went all badass on the King of Hell, they've all been arguing way too much lately, when a jolt goes through the bunker.
"What the hell?" Dean curses. Moment's later Cas and he are on their feet, nothing more than a couple 'o looks enough to communicate.
"Brilliant, Dean, go and jinx it," Crowley sneers and too bad that Dean's too far away from the demon to hit him.
Another jolt shakes the room but it's barely enough to make the dishes clatter on the coffee table before it stops.
"I think it came from the direction if the garage," Castiel muses and since Dean's more of a running-towards-danger kinda guy he's moving towards the door a second later. Soft footsteps tell him that Cas is right behind him. Crowley's probably hiding under the sofa by now.
When they venture into the garage, Dean's prepared for a hell of a lot of things, seriously. Demons, monsters, vampires, angels… what he didn't expect, though, was Charlie Bradbury, red hair tied in a loose bun, looking ten times fiercer than he remembers her, standing in front of the door she left through so many months ago.
Her face lights up when she catches sight of Dean at the other end of the room.
"I heard you guys started another apocalypse without me?"
xXx
When Charlie left earth with Dorothy, she wanted – nope, needed – a quest. Her own journey to Mount Doom, her walk into the Forbidden Forrest, though maybe without the dying and coming back to life. Well, she got that covered anyway, if she's to believe Dorothy about what happened after the Wicked Witch threw her against the wall.
But right – quest. She found it. Oz needed a hero, and said hero needed a sidekick, which is where Charlie came in. She wasn't the only one, mind you, and she screwed up sometimes (how could she know that those cute little dog-like creatures were actually evil? So not her fault!) but all in all it worked well. She got a few scars, new skills and made new friends.
Though when word reached Oz shortly after their victory that earth is in trouble, like of the big apocalyptic kind, then Charlie really had no other option.
The Winchesters are the only family she has left.
So she hugs Dorothy goodbye, promises to return when it's safe again, accepts the bag of magical weaponry and spells that remind Charlie a bit of the stuff at LARPing events, and travels to the door she entered through.
It takes a bit of magic to make the door open at the exact same spot it did all those months ago, but for the girl who single-handedly defeated an army of Wheelers that's not even the beginning of a problem. Hermione would be so proud.
She steps into the familiar garage, glad to see the Impala in the lot as well as Dorothy's motorcycle. They both look cared for, if not too shiny. Charlie sighs. It must be bad, then, if she can see a few streaks of mud around the Impala's metal frame.
The door shuts behind her with a dull thud that echoes through the garage and makes the entire bunker shake a bit. Huh. At least Sam and Dean will know she's here.
As if on cue, two people emerge at the other end of the room, one of them Dean. The other has to be Castiel – he's not wearing a trenchcoat but black pants and a white shirt with the top two or three buttons undone. His hair's the exact kind of messy that Charlie always pictured when she read about the angel in the Supernatural books.
Charlie breaks into a huge smile. "I heard you guys started another apocalypse without me?" she mocks and two seconds later, Dean's stowed his weapon away and is pulling her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Looking good, kid," he tells her, making her beam.
"You look less worn-down than I'd have imagined, what with the world ending and all."
His face falls slightly. "Long story. Oh, you and Cas haven't met, have you?"
"No, but I'm a big fan," Charlie says, meaning it, as she offers her hand to the angel. "You're Heaven's most badass angel – a girl's gotta admire that."
Castiel accepts her greeting but averts his eyes. "Unfortunately I am no longer an angel."
"Oh?"
"Long story. Which I ain't telling without a drink. Come on, girl."
It's fascinating how in synch Dean and Cas move. The hunter turns and the not-angel mirrors his movement, falling into step with him. They didn't even look at each other, just acted and it reminds Charlie of the time Dorothy and she had this going on in the final battles. Oh yeah. She can see where the shippers are coming from.
Giggling internally, she follows the men through the hallways, pausing in the kitchen to pick up booze (gosh, it's totally possible that Charlie missed alcohol, just a little bit) and then they end up in the empty living room.
"We've got two more guests but oen of 'em's out coordinating the hunters, and the other's hiding underneath his blanket like some coward!" Dean explains, shouting the last part, probably to get the attention of whomever he's referring to.
"Cool, and what about Sam?" Charlie asks.
Needless to say, she is not prepared for the story that follows.
xXx
Joe Asher has a good reputation among hunters – Alex's father told her a lot of wild stories about Asher's youth and now that the man is older, he's just as deadly. What is more is that he is respected in the community, so if he said everyone should listen to Alex when she calls with news from Gabriel and the rest of the angels, his word would carry weight.
For that to happen, though, he needs to actually take her side.
"Joe, the angels know better than anyone what's going on across the country – it makes sense to let them be hunter central, don't you think?" Alex tries, hoping that the hard lines of Asher's face will soften.
"They got us into this fucking mess in the first place, now they're asking for help? Where've they been when we needed it?"
"I know, and they know it, too, but the circumstances –"
"Yeah, girl, what are those circumstances exactly? 'Cause no one knows what's going on for sure, except apparently you. So why don't you share with the class, kiddo?"
Yes, that's what Alex feared. Gabriel didn't really give her the go-ahead to spread the news about the apocalypse, but… Well, nothing else has managed to sway Asher so far and the archangel insisted they get his cooperation.
So Alex glances around, then tilts her head in a request for the older man to follow. He is still quick on his feet – Alex can tell he is in good shape despite the large scar on the right side of his face and the slight limp that she knows better than to ask about. Once they are standing a bit further from the hustle and bustle of the emergency camp, Alex draws a deep breath.
"Okay. You know how the religious people all across the world are saying that this is the apocalypse? They're right. That asteroid was actually Michael after Lucifer killed him and cast him down. Gabriel's the only leader Heaven has left and all bad things on this earth are flocking around Lucifer, so we need to act as effectively as possible in order to assure humanity's got some sort of chance to survive this."
Asher considers her intently and for a moment Alex thinks he will bark out a laugh, yet then he seems to realize that she's not actually joking and his face pales.
"For real? But the Winchesters stopped it."
"They stopped the last one. My father died protecting the Book of Seals but the demons killed him and my brother and took the book, opened the seals and…" Alex waves her hand in an all-encompassing manner.
"So can't they just do what they did last time?"
Alex is immensely glad that someone has yet to catch Lucifer on video or a picture, since so far no one knows that the devil is currently riding around in Sam Winchester's body. Alex is not going to remedy that if she has a choice.
"They're working on it but it's more complicated. Anyway, they're looking for a way and I'm going to coordinate with you all – just like my Dad used to, alright? Please, it's the best thing I can do to help."
She may be pleading just a little bit, yet Asher's the kind of hunter that doesn't think a woman can do an equally sound job at ganking things – he might just eat that up, especially since she played the dead-Dad-card. He would be turning in his grave if he heard her talk her abilities down like that… but he doesn't have a grave, so…
Sorry, Dad, she thinks to herself. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Asher breathes out loudly, his nostrils flaring. "Alright. How you wanna do this?"
Alex allows herself a moment of relief before launching into the system she came up with.
xXx
"What's the buzz, tell me what's a-happening?" Gabriel asks seconds after a soft flutter of wings announced his presence. Joe Asher just walked off and Alex feels too exhausted to indulge the former trickster.
The glare she levels at him is enough to make him sober up, though he can't suppress an eye roll apparently.
"Jeez, who stole your sense of humor, huh?"
"Sam Winchester."
"Ouch."
"At least Asher's on board."
Gabriel grins. "Told you you could do it!"
"Yeah, by pretending to be some unskilled woman who's only able to help by manning the phones."
"What, you telling me you got more skills than that?" the angel mocks her and Alex retaliates by punching his arm. Hard.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't get your incredibly skillful titties in a twist. So you wanna return to base? Maybe the lovebirds and the coward managed to dig something up by now."
"They'd have called if they had."
"You're just a regular ray of sunshine, aren't you?"
"Of course I am," Alex snarls. "The world's ending, the devil's walking the earth and it's all my fault. I'm rainbows and unicorns, isn't it obvious?"
When her brain catches on with the meaning behind the words they are already out of her mouth. Gabriel blinks at her, frowning deeply.
"How's any of this your fault?"
Alex swallows around the lump that is suddenly blocking her throat. "Well," she begins, "I didn't manage to stop the demon. If I had protected the book better, they wouldn't have had a list conveniently detailing all seals… Maybe my brother would even still be alive."
The silence that falls only lasts a brief moment before Gabriel grips her shoulders tight and gives her a little shake.
"Now you listen to me, Alex," he all but growls. "If you'd been home that night, that demon? Woulda killed you. Then where'd we be? Whoever that bitch was wouldn't have stopped at nothing and even if you'd have ended her, they'd have sent an army next time. They wanted the book and they got it. I'm just glad you got out alive 'cause you're a real asset to us. You just convinced that stupid redneck hunter who everyone listens to even though I got no freakin' idea why 'cause he's neither nice nor clever, but you got him to cooperate and that will undoubtedly safe a whole bunch of lives." Gabriel pauses and somehow his stare is even more intense now. "So don't blame yourself, capiche?"
His hands are still on her shoulder and he won't look away, so Alex has no chance but to nod. Somehow she finds herself meaning it, too.
"Alright, then let's get you back to that bat cave."
xXx
Rome, Vatican City
Night has long since fallen over the city, yet sleeps still eludes him. Too much suffering, too many questions he does not have the answers to. Everyone wants a statement from the Vatican, preferably a direct quote from him and he has to make up his mind. There is a press conference tomorrow.
Yet he cannot make sense of what is happening at the moment – and neither can any of his fellow religious leaders. Everyone is at a loss. Nothing is as it was told, yet it looks like the world is ending nevertheless.
A slight breeze shakes the leaves, usually a vibrant green in the summer sun. Now they reflect the silver-grey moonlight. The garden is peaceful. He does most of his thinking here.
"It's beautiful," a voice suddenly says in flawless Italian.
He turns slowly, more to calm his spiking pulse than because of old age, until he spies another man. His trousers and shoes are worn, matching the brown of his jacket. This shirt is dark, maybe blue. It is hard to tell in the light. He can, however, see the beard and blond hair.
"It is."
"You seem troubled."
He smiles wryly at the sudden change of topic. He cannot quite fathom who the man before him is, yet deep inside something resonates with his presence, providing just enough of a clue if one is willing to listen.
"My flock expects me to lead, though I do not know where to."
"What does your gut tell you?"
A beat. "My gut?" he asks, just to make sure he heard right. The stranger's lips curl into a smile.
"Your gut."
"That what everyone is saying is true. That this is the end."
The other man does not reply; he merely raises both brows and gives a half-shrug, which seems to translate to a "yes".
"Why now? Why like this? This isn't as it was written."
His counterpart seems to be almost embarrassed by his comment. "Well, that plan didn't work out as expected."
"So there is a new plan?" he inquires, hope filling his voice. The other man smiles at him, now only a few meters away.
"No."
That is enough to give him pause. "No? There is no plan? But there is always a plan!" He might have forgot his place for a moment. As soon as he realizes which tone he just used he opens his mouth to apologize, yet the man only raises a hand.
"I understand your indignation. But my answer stands - there is no plan, except for what has always been true. Heaven awaits everyone who believes and so does every other form of paradise." He allows for a brief silence before he adds, "I could intervene, that is true. Yet what would be the point of free will if I did?"
The man smiles at him and in the blink of an eye later he is gone and it is as if there never was another presence in the garden that night.
xXx
When Alex gets back to the bunker, it's late and she's tired so she doesn't seek out anyone and just collapses into bed. Despite everything she's still the first to wake the next morning – or so she thinks.
The TV is on in the living room where Alex takes her coffee and breakfast, planning to catch the news. There's someone sitting on the sofa, someone with red hair, clutching a mug of what looks like hot chocolate against their chest.
"And who would you be?" Alex asks, making the stranger jump. Surprisingly she doesn't spill anything before she gets to her feet and turns around.
It's a girl. Well, woman, maybe mid-twenties. She seems friendly and if she's here then she didn't get in without Dean's approval. Probably.
"Charlie! I'm Charlie, a friend of Dean's. You must be Alex? Well, damn girl."
Alex narrows her eyes. Damn, what?
The girl – Charlie – blushes slightly at her reaction. "Oh, I mean, from what Dean told me about you I pictured you kind of like an Amazon – not because I though you cut off your breasts, no! Dean told me about how you took them out when you guys first met and damn, that sounds like some really badass fighting. You know, like Black Widow or –"
"It's basic Krav Maga. Anyone could do it."
"I don't know, doesn't it take like, years of training?"
She has a point, so Alex shrugs and glances at the sofa. "Mind if I join you?"
"Nope, not at all! Please, sit!"
Alex is starting to wonder if Charlie always acts like a hyperactive puppy or if she actually has some valuable skills.
"What did I miss?" She gestures to the TV and picks up the spoon for her cereal.
"Oh, uh, just the Pope telling the world that the apocalypse is upon us, so nothing new."
"The Pope confirmed it?"
"Yup. Press conference and everything. Told us not to worry 'cause Heaven awaits and I'm just glad that I know he's not lying and that the gates are open again, 'cause, you know, would've been kind of shitty to die and then not get into Heaven. Well, if I'm one of those who get in. But I really don't wanna go to Hell. Dean's never said much about it but I read the books and, just, nope."
"Has the panic started yet?"
Charlie blows out a breath. "Not really. I guess everyone's still in shock. But the conference just happened half an hour ago, so…"
Before Alex can reply, her phone rings in her pocket and she has to bend a bit to retrieve it from her pants pocket. The caller ID ready "hottest man alive" and Alex gives herself a moment to roll her eyes at Gabriel's childish sense of humor.
"Using your angel juice to change my contact details, really?"
"Gotta keep morale high, don't I?" Gabriel quips back. "But listen – did you catch that press conference?"
"No, but I got the cliff notes."
"Good. We should start giving out more info, so call Asher and your other contacts, fill them in about us being angels and Lucifer being behind all this, and maybe – if we're very, very lucky – the hysteria won't be as bad."
"You mean more intel about the impending apocalypse will be soothing?"
"Better than the alternative. Come on, time's a-wasting, start calling people, woman!"
"Misogynistic is not a good look on you, Gabriel."
"Ack, what do you know? Alright, gotta go, very important angel business to attend to…"
"Grooming your feathers?"
"Wing maintenance takes a lot of time and care, I'll have you know, young lady. Now shoo!"
Chuckling to herself, Alex hangs up and finds Charlie staring at her with wide eyes.
"What?"
"You're talking like this to Gabriel? The archangel?"
"Oh, he's just a giant five-year-old. Kind of like the big brother I never had who's less mature than I am."
"What's he want you to do?"
"Make some calls. I'm coordinating with the hunters. The angels tell me where they're needed, I play call-center. Gabriel just gave the go-ahead that hunters can fill people in as to what's going down."
"Can I help?"
"Can you operate a phone?"
"I hacked NASA. And every other intelligence agency, before I turned 21. I'll be able to handle a phone."
Alex is about to just accept that and give her numbers to call, yet then an idea hits her.
"Wait. Does that mean you can do websites, things like that?"
Charlie snorts. "I could do that blind with my hands tied behind my back while I'm typing with my tongue." To make her point, she assumes the position and sticks out her tongue.
"Okay, got it," Alex laughs. "How long would that take? With your fingers, not your tongue?"
Charlie blinks at her, for some reason looking like her brain just froze, but then she is shaking her head and rearranging herself on the sofa. "Not long. What do you have in mind?"
xXx
By the time Dean finds them in a comfortable corner of the bunker, they have the general layout of the website up and running – after clearing it with Gabriel first, of course, with Charlie working on the code while Alex ticked off her calls.
Alex. Damn. A woman like that should not be allowed to say things like "with your fingers, not your tongue" and expect a coherent answer from Charlie. She can't even look at her too much without loosing track of whatever it is she's doing on her laptop.
Alex is a bit like Dorothy, but without the constant need to prove her worth because back in her time no one thought a woman could do much.
"Alex – when did you get back?"
"Late last night. You were already asleep. Or in the vicinity of a bed, at least," she says with a grin.
Yeah, because apparently Dean and Cas are no secret around here. Charlie put two and two together last night when the former angel sat down really close to Dean and their hands touched so naturally, so matter-of-factly, that there was no other Charlie confronted (well, asked) Dean about it, the hunter merely shrugged.
"Long story. Just sorta happened."
Charlie beamed at him. "I'm happy for you. I was thinking all through the books that you'd make a good couple. Glad you saw it, too."
Dean's expression darkened a bit, though Charlie couldn't for the life of her name every emotion that flickered over his face. However it happened, there was probably a lot of manpain involved which Charlie knew better than to dig up so she pulled Dean into a hug.
"What about you and Dorothy? I got a pretty intense vibe from you two," Dean insinuated and Charlie ducked her head.
"We tried but… We didn't fit as well as we thought we would. Did make one hell of a team on the battlefield, though."
"I don't doubt it," Dean said with a smile and hugged her again.
Back in the present Dean's leveling a glare at Alex. "We took some books with us, kept working. It's just nicer without Crowley around."
Charlie can't fault him for that. She still doesn't know how she feels about the former King of Hell keeping them company.
"So what're you doing?" Dean changes the topic seamlessly, flopping down in a chair next to Charlie.
"A website, giving out info about the apocalypse. Gabriel signed off on it and we got a few of the hunters to cooperate as well, so it's not just 'The world is ending – deal with it' but actual helpful stuff, like how to defend yourself against demons, and so on."
"And apparently Charlie is a world-class hacker, so we'll spread the word about the site on the news and in the papers," Alex explains, sounding genuinely impressed with Charlie's plan to display their url in the small banners of news programs and stuff.
"Apocalypse 2.0, huh?" Dean quips and Charlie laughs despite herself. Gosh, how she missed earth. Even if it's ending.
xXx
If you forget about the painful visions, being a prophet is sort of a sweet deal. He's kept safe in Heaven (freaking Heaven, that'll never wear off) and they allowed him to visit his sister Cindy once to tell her he's alright.
Gabriel even agreed to get Cindy a bodyguard-angel. Not that she knows of him, but Jamie's sleeping easier knowing that she'll be fine when shit gets real. Or, you know, more real.
It's been five days since his last vision, so it's no surprise when he collapses that afternoon, brain filled with flashes of a teenager at an airport and that guy in the white suit that Jamie knows to be the devil by now.
Whoever that kid is, Jamie's glad he's not in his shoes.
xXx
With an angry roar, Dean flings the stupid book across the library where it hits a shelf before falling to the floor. His vision's swimming and his brain's screaming at him that this ain't no use and that they'll never find anything in those books.
"Dean," Cas begins, but Dean knows exactly what placating bullshit the guys's going to spout.
"No, don't tell me we'll find something 'cause we all know that's a lie, okay? We should start fighting, stop pushing books around and sitting on our asses."
"We can't fight Lucifer."
"I know that," Dean snaps, jumping to his feet, "but he's got lackey and demons and monsters – I say we take 'em on one at a time until there's nothing left!"
Cas opens his mouth to speak but a voice interrupts him.
"Nope, don't say anything, Cassie, in that mood he ain't gonna listen to anything you gotta say."
Gabriel saunters in with a smirk and Dean has half a mind to punch him in the jaw and see if he'll still be smiling then.
"Aw, confinement to a place with books really isn't your thing, is it?" the angel sneers. "But don't you worry, I got the perfect solution. Field trip to New York! Well, if I say New York, I mean JFK, as in the airport, 'cause our dearest prophet had a vision of some kid landing there with Lucifer waiting to pick him up. Figure we should intercept that particular welcome committee."
"Some kid?" Dean echoes. What the fuck do they need a kid for?
"Teenager, coming in from Australia. No idea why he's important, but we gotta get a move on, kiddo."
Dean's out of the library faster than Gabriel could have zapped him, grabbing his weapons and when he reaches the main room, Charlie, Alex and Cas are already waiting there, all armed to their teeth and ready for some action.
"Let's do this," Dean grunts and starts climbing the stairs.
xXx
The airport is pure chaos. People are hurrying along, dragging luggage after themselves, families trying to stay together, those without tickets shouting at the staff 'cause that'll surely get them a place on the overbooked plane, won' it, and in the middle there are Dean, Cas, Charlie, Alex and Gabriel, with an army of other angels nearby.
They get to the gate where the flight from Australia is supposed to land with an hour to spare.
"Why don't we all get ourselves some hot chocolate or one of them frappuccinos and then we'll come up with a plan?" Gabriel suggests, already eyeing the nearest coffee shop with interest.
"You gotta be kidding me," Dean grouses. "You thinking of coffee now?"
"No need to be on edge when we don't need to be. Oh, and don't you think it'll look a bit suspicious when you're prowling the airport with a hand on that knife inside your pants? Right? So what's everyone want?"
Which is how Dean ends up with a paper cup full of (admittedly delicious) coffee and an arm around Cas who's making inappropriate noises at his…. whatsitsname-with-whipped-cream-and-sprinkles, sitting near the gate where the kid'll hopefully turn up while Charlie's looking for the control room so they'll be able to play the exorcism through the speakers when the demon army shows up.
"We should put the child between us," Cas suggests after he disposed of both their cups. "Since Lucifer cannot harm us without breaking the deal."
"Good thinking, Cas," Dean says, meaning it. Cas smiles back at him, lighting up at the praise and Dean's eyes flicker to his lips. It's all it takes for Cas to lean in and then they're kissing, in the middle of an airport in New York during the damn apocalypse. Dean has no idea how this is his life.
"Good Lord, guys, can't you keep your hands off each other for an hour?" Gabriel groans with mock-indignation. Dean knows it's fake 'cause he saw Gabriel smiling at them when they sat down, so the archangel can't mind too much that his brother's getting some.
Dean withdraws long enough to glare at the guy and throw his napkin at him like the mature adult that he is before pulling Cas in for another kiss.
xXx
Beth observes from a safe distance, making sure to note which "innocent bystanders" the archangel acknowledges, outing them as angels while doing so.
She still doesn't understand why they can't just pluck the plane out of the sky and kidnap the brat, but the boss was adamant that it needed to be public. He has a plan, though he did not think it necessary to share it with them.
It doesn't matter to Beth. She will follow Lucifer, no matter what he wants her to do. Everything is falling into place and soon demons will take over the world and the angels will be history.
Until then...
Beth's lips curl into a smile when she spies a familiar dark-haired pastor's daughter in the crowd.
xXx
Everything becomes clear when Dean lays eyes on the kid they're here for.
It's Jesse Turner, antichrist-turned-fugitive.
Jesse recognizes him, too, judging by the way he pales a bit. Dean mouths 'play along' and then plasters a huge smile on his face, pulling Cas with him as he moves toward the kid.
Jesse has grown a lot in the past few years. His face is still as soft as it was back then but his eyes aren't as innocent anymore. He's seen things, matured. No fifteen-year-old should have to look so old, Dean thinks.
"Hey there, kiddo," he greets Jesse and is grateful when the kid keeps up the pretense and hugs him back. Dean uses the chance to whisper in his ear. "The new prophet had a vision and we're sure there's demons here to take you to Lucifer, but you stick close to me and Cas, okay, kiddo?"
Dean leans back and sees Jesse's eyes narrow. Suddenly, there's a strange sensation inside him, like someone probing into his soul or mind or whatever. It has to be Jesse, using whatever psychic powers he has been developing since Lucifer rose to check if he's being truthful or not.
Next to him, Cas gasps but Dean doesn't get the chance to complain for Jesse nods and Cas squeezes his shoulder to show it's fine.
"Did you come alone?" is the first thing Jesse says.
Dean shakes his head. "We got heavenly back-up. And two more hunters. We'll be fine."
It's a lie – he knows that. Jesse knows that. And yet they make it to the main hall of the terminal before all hell breaks loose. Literally.
xXx
A loud dang startles everyone in the airport as all doors slam shut and no rattling will get them open again. Alex' fingers close around her gun while the other hand grips the holy water bomb, ready to fling it at anyone with black eyes.
One guy flies at Dean and Castiel but before he can make contact, Gabriel's there to deflect the attack. The next one is coming immediately afterward, this time succeeding in flinging Dean and Castiel back and exposing the boy.
Alex yells at a few gaping bystanders to get away, throws a bomb at a passing demon who screams in pain and promptly leaves its host's body, black smoke rising and looking for it's next victim.
It's a few moments later that Alex sees her.
The woman with the auburn hair. The demon that killed her father and brother. Rage licks at her insides and she breaks into a run, opening fire as she moves.
xXx
It doesn't take long for the fighting to escalate and for the angels to start transporting people away since apparently, the doors won't open but angel mojo is enough to get out. Thank God for small wonders…
The angels with Charlie start with the two employees manning the speaker system, granting her unrestricted access.
"Oh, I can't let you do that," a male voice says and suddenly Charlie is flying through the air. Her back hits the wall but she lands on her feet and grabs one of the pouches at her belt.
She throws the powder at the demon whose skin starts to burn (thanks for that trick, Dorothy). Black smoke fills the room and clears out, leaving her alone to place the phone next to the microphone. A few seconds later, the recording of the exorcism is sounding across the entire airport and demons freeze as the spell takes effect.
Then without warning the phone falls silent and crumbles to pieces in front of Charlie's own eyes. The temperature in the room drops by more than ten degrees from one second to the next so now Charlie can see her breath in puffs of white mist.
She remains still for another second and then she leaps forward and continues the incantation with a finger on the microphone button. She only manages two more verses before something fills her lungs and she has to cough, pain spreading through her chest.
When she looks down at her hand it comes away red.
Her feet give out next and she vomits blood onto the floor, panic coursing through her veins because this can only mean one thing.
The devil has joined the fight.
xXx
The exorcism stops and the demon in front of Jesse starts coming at him with renewed vigor. Too bad Jesse's powers have been growing tenfold and he can squash the guy like the fly that he is.
He should have stayed in Australia. He had a life there - well, until the apocalypse started. At least this time around he knew what was happening and could try to control his powers. He didn't kill anyone this time, though he did damage the gym at his school pretty extensively.
Not that staying behind would have had much use. They would have found him eventually and Jesse is no coward who hides and whines.
With a flick of his hand he pulls a demon off Dean who has been thrown to the ground, then he exorcises the one currently pinning Dean's co-hunter to the wall.
Jesse is intensely aware of all the civilians still in the hall, too much for the angels to transport out all at once, not with the enemy troops all over the place.
He ducks, evading a knife from a demon and in straightening up he picks the weapon up with a though and flings it back, hitting the demon right in the chest. A bit of added psychic energy and he woman's eyes flicker with lighting and the body-turned-corpse drops to the ground.
When Jesse glances to the side he spies a kid, maybe a year or two older than him, with masculine features but feminine clothing, filming the scene in front of… her? Jesse shakes his head. The angels will take care of her.
Just then a chill sweeps through he hall, making several people gasp. Jesse is distracted enough that he misses the next bad guy jumping past him and aiming for the people cowering behind the airport bench, including the kid with the portable camera.
He knows his reaction will be too late.
Before the demon can strike, however, it bursts into flames. Pained screams fill the air and the girl looks like she's going to be sick, but she keeps holding the camera up and takes in what is happening.
"The one with the camera stays," a familiar voice echoes through the room, carrying over the sound of fighting and mayhem, seemingly chiding the demon that tried to attack the teenager in question.
Jesse recognizes the face but not the man wearing it. It's Sam Winchester, but not. The stranger smiles.
"Jesse, nice to meet you again. Though I suppose, strictly speaking, we have never had the pleasure since my vessel here," he smoothens down the lapels of his white suit jacket (what kind of idiot wears an all-white suit?), "was still his old self when he convinced you to run away and denounce your allegiance."
The girl to Jesse's left is still filming even though she looks almost as white as Sam's clothes. Sam – or maybe Jesse should start thinking of him as Lucifer in his head – follows his glance. He smiles into the camera lens.
"That's right. My name is Lucifer and this young gentleman here is supposed to follow me. He is the antichrist but last time the guy whose body I'm wearing and his brother convinced young Jesse here that it's a better plan to run and hide. How'd that work out for you, huh?"
"Fine, until you showed up again."
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Did I disrupt your schedule? Is the apocalypse coming at an inconvenient time?"
"You could have at least waited until prom was over," Jesse complains, hoping that by stalling he will somehow think of a plan that might actually work.
Lucifer throws his head back and laughs. "You got spunk in you, Jesse. I like that in my antichrist."
"I'm not your antichrist."
Lucifer just rolls his eyes. "That is so last season. I'm sure there's something I can do for you? Spare a loved one? Bring someone back from the dead?"
Out of the corners of his eye, Jesse sees the camera lowering. The tall man in military fatigues – probably her father – has a hand on her arm, probably hoping to escape unnoticed. Unfortunately Lucifer seems to have eyes at the back of his head. Not that it'd surprise Jesse much, frankly.
"Oh no, the young lady stays here and will keep filming," Lucifer snaps and violently yanks the teenager in question to her feet.
"What – you want to get on YouTube or something?" Jesse mocks him, catching sight of Dean and the other one moving closer while going about it more stealthily than the teenager.
"Times are a-changing, Jesse. The world is mine for the taking – why should I kill all humans if maybe a few of them might want to follow me?"
"What, out of their own free will?" Jesse sneers, noting that Dean is almost in shooting distance. Not that it will do much good against the devil, but he probably has some kind of a plan, right?
"Yes."
"Which you'll then take away and turn them into slaves?"
"Yes. I have to admit, last time I just wanted to burn this place to the ground, but I've matured, I think. Think about it for a moment, Jesse – demons ruling the world, humans nothing but the vermin at their feet that they truly are… You could be my prince, rule with me."
"Until you stab me in the back? How stupid do you think I am? You've got no one's interests in mind but your own and everyone who thinks otherwise is even dumber. Now let the people go and fight me like a man!"
"Oh, insulting my pride, how will I ever survive that?" Lucifer replies with a laugh before turning towards the still-filming camera. "I hope you're getting this. Would be a shame to miss this moment of history. And when we're done here, I want you to upload this onto a video platform of your choice or your Daddy here will die a horrible, horrible death, which would be such a big waste after he just survived fighting in a war, wouldn't you say? So be a good girl and do as the devil tells you, alright?"
During the last part of his speech something around Jesse shifts and then there is someone behind him. He wants to lash out but before he can react, something soft touches his bare arm. Something fluffy, like bird's feathers. When he feels the presence of a body behind him as well, he knows who it is. To his right, Dean smirks.
And when Lucifer finally turns around from his vain attempt at online fame (which he'll undoubtedly get, if Jesse considers it), his eyes widen.
"Hello, brother," the man behind Jesse say jovially. "Sorry, can't stay long. Nice seeing you, though."
Something pulls at Jesse's intestines and then the airport vanishes around him. He's flying, he realizes with a jolt but it's over all too soon and something that looks like an office materializes around him.
The tugging sensation is replaced by intense pain. It starts so sudden that Jesse doubles over, gasping and whimpering.
"Oh yeah, Antichrist in Heaven, not the best escape plan, hang on," his savior mumbles. There is a hand on his back and slowly the pain subsides, with only a dull ache remaining.
"Better?"
Jesse nods.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm Gabriel, currently the one in charge upstairs. Welcome to the side of the angels, kiddo."
Jesse belatedly shakes the proffered hand and blinks around. Heaven. Huh. He can cross that off his bucket list, right?
xXx
After Gabriel's deus-ex-machina act, Lucifer roars, his anger almost palpable. The ground starts shaking and a few creaking sounds make Dean worry about the structural integrity of the airport.
"Alright, everybody out!" he shouts in a tone that brooks no argument. A moment later the angels are zapping back and forth again, pulling out people from underneath shaking ceilings while Dean flings himself in front of that kid with the camera and her (his? Dean's got no clue) father.
"Really clever of you, Dean," Lucifer drawls. "Protect the one with the footage whom I won't harm. Leave your red-haired hacker friend to bleed out in the control room. I like that."
Dean's blood freezes in his veins. Charlie.
xXx
By the time the diabolic-rage-induced earthquake starts, Alex has a split lip, a head wound that's bleeding profusely, several bruised ribs and a gash in her thigh but that damn demon isn't faring that much better.
Half her face has melted off from the three holy water bombs Alex hit her with and the knife she laced with salt really did a number on that bitch's leg. A little longer and Alex will have her where she wants her and then she's going to make her suffer.
"So much anger," the woman mocks. "So much fury. I knew why I didn't kill you at your house. Vengeance is so entertaining."
Alex pounces at her but the blood loss is apparently getting to her. Her reflexes aren't up to their usual standards and the demon jumps out of her way, then uses her momentum to propel her into a nearby wall that is shaking.
"By the way, I'm Beth. What a shame if you had to fantasize about killing me without even knowing my name."
The next thing Alex is aware of is that she is lying on the ground and her already-bruised side is hurting even more. White spots start appearing in front of her eyes and Beth is walking away.
"No!" Alex calls after her but before she can scramble back to her feet, an angel is in front of her, that woman with the brown hair, Hannah maybe, her thoughts are all fuzzy but it doesn't matter because a moment later everything goes dark.
xXx
Dean practically flies down the hallway, occasionally knocked off balance by the earthquake or jumping over shards of broken windows littering the floor, until he reaches where he recalls the control room to be. He almost slides past the door but catches himself just in time, only to be faced with the sight of Charlie, lying coughing on the floor in a pool of her own blood.
"Fuck," Dean curses, then closes his eyes. "Gabriel, I hope you got your ears on: get your feathery ass back down here now!"
Two seconds later the archangel blinks into existence. He takes one look at Charlie and his eyes widen in horror.
"Holy crack on a cracker, alright, out of the way, I'll get you two outta here and fix her right up."
"You sure you can do that?" Dean asks, hating how his voice cracks slightly near the end.
Gabriel meets his eyes and there is no certainty in them – only resolution. "Nope, but I will."
Dean nods and Gabriel zaps them out before the ceiling collapses on top of them.
xXx
Meanwhile Lucifer has appeared outside the airport where a herd of spectators and onlookers has formed, some of whom are filming the collapsing building.
Lucifer smiles at them, then raises his hands. The sound the two asteroids make as they suddenly break the earth's atmosphere echoes all over the world.
He laughs before disappearing in a pillar of fire. He's usually not one for added drama, but he might as well give humanity one last good show before they vanish once and for all.
xXx
End Notes: Asteroids! Yay! No worries, they're not too big. But "stars falling from the sky" is a sign of the apocalypse and I couldn't resist. And in case we ever get a real life apocalypse, I volunteer to run the devil's YouTube channel *giggles*
Hope you're all still enjoying yourself :) We're now on the finishing line… Much more drama to come!
PS: I may be an atheist, but I was raised catholic so writing God as a character still feels a bit blasphemous. However, the plot needs him… And may I just fangirl a bit about how I love the Supernatural vision of the world religions and how they all just co-exist and neither is "right" or "wrong"?