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Chapter 28
"Hey," Dean said as they left the clinic and she looked at him. "I want to check something out. You head on up and I'll meet you there."
"Okay," she said before they kissed briefly and parted ways. Allison walked through the hospital before she reached the elevator bay she needed to use and headed upstairs. She easily made her way through the corridor and came to a stop outside Bobby's room. Sam was nowhere in sight, but Addison was in the room having a one-sided conversation with Bobby, who sat in a wheelchair looking out the window. "Hi guys," Allison said and Addison looked at her sister, relief washing over her face.
"Hey, how was the appointment?" Addison asked as Allison walked into the room and lowered her body onto the edge of the bed across from where Addison sat in a chair and kiddy corner from where Bobby sat, still staring out the window with a scowl on his face.
"Fine," Allison said. "Everything's normal and the baby is fine. The doctor did an ultrasound and gave us a few images." Addison's eyes lit up and she held out her right hand.
"Well just don't sit there, let me see them!" Addison said happily and Allison laughed softly.
"I will when Dean gets back because he hasn't let them out of his possession since he took them from the doctor," Allison said and Addison rolled her eyes as she lowered her hand and sent a grin to Bobby.
"I don't know about you, Bobby, but I never expected Dean to be all geeked about being a daddy," she said, but Bobby didn't say anything. Both women sighed and shared a look before they looked back at Bobby. They sat there for a while, talking and attempting to get Bobby in on the conversation, but failing at their attempts. Sam had returned with coffee in hand for him and Addison and after he failed to get Bobby in on the action, the three of them made their way into the hallway.
"Is he going to be okay?" Allison asked, worried as she looked at her friend. Sam glanced at her and sighed as he rested against the door after throwing away his empty cup.
"I don't know," Sam said quietly, turning his eyes to Allison and the two of them looked at each other. Allison nodded and sighed softly as she looked at her sister who had moved from the door and was leaning against the wall, still sipping at her coffee. She was never one to gulp it down like Sam apparently. Allison moved away from Sam and stood next to her sister, earning a sideward's glance in response as she leaned back against the wall with a sigh. She didn't say anything, but then again she didn't have to. They both were thinking the same thing anyway.
"Hey," Dean said as he came up on the trio and glanced at Allison before looking into the room as he came to a stop next to Sam. Allison and Addison rejoined the boys, Addison throwing her half full cup away and putting her hands in the pocket of her jacket. "It's been like three days now?" Dean asked more than said and Sam nodded. "We got cheer him up."
"Trust me, I've been trying," Addison said, but no one looked at her; however, Dean did grin slightly.
"Maybe I'll give him a back rub," Dean joked and Sam sighed as he looked at his brother.
"Dean," he said and Dean looked at him.
"Well, what, then?" Dean asked, slightly frustrated as he looked at his brother. "We can't just let him sit there and sulk. We gotta do something."
"Look," Sam said slowly, "we have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time." Allison and Addison shared a look as Allison wrapped her arms around herself and Addison sighed. "What's in the envelope?" Sam asked and the girls looked at Dean, both noticing the x-ray envelope in Dean's hand for the first time; and Allison uncrossed her arms.
"After Allie's appointment at the clinic, I went down to Radiology," Dean said as he pulled an x-ray film from the envelope," and got some glamour shots." He held out the film to Sam, who took it and held it up to the light. The girls moved around to look at the image as well and their eyes widening before gently touching their ribs. "Let's just say the doctors are baffled."
"Holy crap," Sam said.
"No kidding," Addison said as she took the film from Sam to get a better look at the symbols carved into Dean's ribs.
"Yeah, well, Cas carved all of you one too," Dean said as Sam's phone started ringing. Dean took the film back from Addison after shooting her a look and she rolled her eyes as he put the film in the envelope again.
"Let me see the baby," Addison whispered and Dean looked at Allison, who smiled at him, before he rolled his eyes and reached into his jacket pocket and carefully pulled out the ultrasound images. Allison pointed out the baby to her sister and Addison awed quietly as she smiled at her sister. Dean took the ultrasound pictures back from Addison, who smirked at him and watched as he placed the images carefully in the inside pocket of the cotton jacket he was wearing.
"Hello?" Sam asked after answering his phone. "Castiel?" Sam asked surprised as he looked at Dean, and the girls looked between the two men.
"Speak of the devil," Dean said quietly.
"Uh," Sam said before he frowned. "St. Martin's Hospital. Why what are you-?" he started to ask, but stopped. "Cas?" he asked before he pulled his phone from his ear and looked at it with a frown. Dean's expression matched Sam's as the younger Winchester sighed and put his phone back in his pocket.
"What was that about?" Addison asked and Sam looked at her.
"No idea," Sam said before Castiel was suddenly walking down the hallway towards them and came to a stop at Addison's left and Dean's right.
"Cell phone, Cas? Really? Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?" Dean asked.
"All of you are hidden from angels now. All angels. I won't be able to simply-," Castiel started to answer, but Bobby's voice from inside the room cut him off.
"Enough foreplay," Bobby said and all five people outside the door looked into the room. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on. "Get healing. Now," Bobby said as he turned his head and looked at Castiel.
"I can't," Castiel said and everyone's eyes were settled on him.
"Say again," Bobby said as he turned his wheelchair around to face the doorway and Castiel went inside the room.
"I'm cut off from heaven and much of heaven's power," Castiel said and Dean went into the room before Sam, Addison, and Allison followed. "Certain things I can do, certain things I can't."
"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life!" Bobby finished with a shout.
"I'm sorry," Castiel said dryly.
"Shove it up your ass," Bobby said before he turned his chair back around and looked out the window.
"Well, at least he's talking now," Dean said softly as he leaned his head back towards the girls and Sam.
"I heard that," Bobby said and Dean made a face before Castiel walked over to him.
"I don't' have much time. We need to talk," he said as he looked at Dean.
"Okay," Dean said slowly and with a frown.
"Your plan to kill Lucifer," Castiel said with a pause and Dean jumped in.
"Yeah, you wanna help?" Dean asked.
"No. It's foolish. It can't be done," Castiel said and Allison sighed.
"Oh, well, thanks for the support," Dean said.
"But I believe I have the solution," Castiel said quickly. "There is someone, besides Michael, strong enough to take on Lucifer. Strong enough to stop the apocalypse."
"Who?" Addison asked with a frown and wide eyes from where she stood in front of Sam. Castiel looked at her, his blue eyes meeting hers.
"The one who resurrected me and put the boys on that airplane," Castiel said. "The one who began everything. God," Castiel finished as he looked at Dean, who seemed slightly taken aback. "I'm gonna find God." Dean quickly ushered everyone away from the door and closed it firmly before he turned back around to look at Castiel.
"God?" he asked, unbelieving.
"Yes," Castiel said firmly.
"God," Dean said again and Castiel nodded.
"Yes. He isn't in heaven. He has to be somewhere," Castiel said while Sam, Addison, and Allison walked over and stood next to Bobby as they watched the angel and Dean talk.
"Try New Mexico," Dean said with his sarcastic grin. "I hear he's on a tortilla."
"No, he's not on any flat bread," Castiel said with a frown as he shook his head and Dean sighed.
"Listen, chuckles, even if there is a God, is either dead – and that's the generous theory," Dean said and Castiel cut in.
"He is out there, Dean," Castiel said, but Dean pressed on.
"Or," he said loudly, "he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us." Castiel glowered at Dean, but the man wasn't finished. "I mean, look around you, man, the world is in the toilet," Dean said as he walked around Castiel and stood next to Allison at the foot of the bed. "We are literally at the end of days here and he's of somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut. Alright?"
"Enough," Castiel said before he turned back around and looked at Dean. "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic. With God's help, we can win."
"It's a pipe dream, Cas," Dean said with a shake of his head and Castiel stepped closer to Dean.
"I killed two angels this week," he said. "Those are my brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled and I did it, all of it, for you and you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world and I lost everything for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself." Dean's eyes moved away from Castiel and Allison reached out, placing her left hand on his forearm and taking his right hand into hers. He gave her hand a squeeze as he glanced at her and she tried to give him a reassuring smile to let him know that it was okay.
"You didn't drop in just to tear us a new hole," Bobby said. "What is it you want?"
"I did come for something," Castiel said still looking at Dean. "An amulet," he said as he looked at Bobby.
"An amulet?" Bobby asked as Allison let go of Dean's hand and turned to look at Bobby at the same time Dean did. "What kind?"
"Very rare. Very powerful," Castiel said. "It burns hot in God's presence. It will help me find him."
"What, like, God EMF?" Sam asked with a slight sarcastic tone to his voice, but Castiel nodded anyway.
"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," Bobby said. "I got nothing like that."
"I know you don't," Castiel said before he looked at Dean, "but you do." Dean frowned at Castiel before the angel's eyes moved to the necklace Dean always wore around his neck. Dean looked down and his frown deepened as he pointed to his chest.
"What, this?" Dean asked.
"May I borrow it?" Castiel asked and Dean glared.
"No," he said firmly.
"Dean, give it to me," Castiel practically ordered and Allison looked at Dean. She knew he only took that necklace off when he showered or when their nightly activities weren't PG. He was never without it and she was surprised to watch him take it off after silently thinking it over.
"All right, I guess," Dean said as he fingered it briefly before holding out to Castiel by the cord. "Don't lose it," he ordered before Castiel took it from him. "Oh, great, now I feel naked," Dean said quietly as he shrugged his shoulders and Addison rolled her eyes while Allison smiled at him.
"I'll be in touch," Castiel said before he did his angel thing and disappeared from the room, leaving everyone to sigh softly.
"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby shouted into the air.
"Well, that was fun," Addison said.
"Do you think he'll be able to find God?" Allison asked and everyone looked at her before Dean sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows, but right now the question is what are we going to do?" Dean asked as he moved over to the window and leaned against the half wall next to Sam with his arms crossed over his chest. The words were no more out of his mouth when Bobby's cell phone that resting on his bed tray started ringing. Everyone looked at him as he answered it.
"Hello?" Bobby asked before he paused. "I can't hear you," Bobby said before he paused again and frowned. "Where are you?" he asked quickly. "Colora-Colrado? River Pass, Colorado? Rufus? You there? Rufus?" Just hearing the one-sided conversation was enough to put the four younger hunters on alert and Bobby sighed as he closed his phone.
"What's going on, Bobby?" Dean asked.
"Rufus is in River Pass, Colorado," Bobby said. "He said the town's overrun by demons and that he needs help. Last thing I heard was gone shots going off in the background before the line went dead." Sam and Dean shared a look before the stood fully and headed towards the door.
"We're on it, Bobby, we'll call," Dean said and Bobby nodded.
"Wait up, you two," Addison said and Sam and Dean stopped at the door to look at her, but her eyes were on Allison. "I know you don't want to be left behind, but-," she started in Gaelic, but Allison cut her off.
"Go," Allison said back. "I'll take care of Bobby. Stay safe and keep an eye on him for me." Addison nodded knowing exactly who her sister was talking about before the two shared a hug and Addison walked around her.
"Let's go, boys," Addison said. "We got to get our stuff before we hit the road and we got a drive ahead of us," she said as she passed the guys and went out into the hall. Sam and Dean looked at each other before Sam shrugged slightly followed Addison and Dean looked at Allison for a few beats before he walked back over to her and kissed her chastely, his right hand cupping her face as he did so.
"Be careful," she whispered when he pulled back and he nodded before he left the room, following the path his brother and Addison had taken to the elevator. Taking a shaky breath she turned around and smiled tightly at Bobby. "So, when did the doctor's say you were getting out of here?" she asked, hoping to get her mind off being left behind and knowing what she was doing, Bobby obliged by giving her the same rundown the doctor's had given him that morning.
Dean was driving the Impala fast down a deserted road as they neared their destination and was doing his best to ignore Addison as she talked on the phone with Allison, but he failed miserably. "Okay, Allie, dive safe," she said. "I'll call when we figure out what's going on." Dean glanced in the rearview mirror as she paused and she saw her roll her eyes before she said something in Gaelic. The way she grinned at Allison's response made him wonder what she said. "Love you too," she said and with that she ended the call chuckling. "Bobby was released yesterday morning and they left shortly after. They're in Illinois right now," she said after ten agonizing minutes for Dean.
"Is she going to stay with him once she gets him home?" Dean asked.
"Sounds like it," she said in response. "At least until he's settled, but knowing Allie she'll stick around and smother the poor old man until he kicks her out." Making Sam laugh quietly, but the man's smile left his face as Dean brought the Impala to a stop. "Why are we stopping?" Addison asked as she sat up and moved so she could see around Sam only to raise her eyebrows in surprise at the sight in front of them. Dean killed the ignition and the three of them climbed out of the car and walked to the edge of the broken bridge. Dean kicked a few pieces of concrete into the cavity and sighed.
"This is the only road in or out of town," Dean said and Sam pulled out his cell phone.
"No signal," Sam said as his phone beep and Addison frowned as she pulled out her own phone. She too had no signal on her phone when ten minutes earlier she had been talking with her sister. Sighing, she put her phone back in her pocket and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Rufus was right," Dean said as he looked around. "Demons got this place locked down."
"Looks like we're hiking in," Sam said and Addison huffed.
"The hits just keep on coming," Dean said as he and Sam turned and went to the trunk of the Impala.
"Great," she said quietly as she followed them and grabbed the duffel that had her weapons from the floor of the backseat where she had tossed it that morning.
"Pack as much as you can carry," Dean said when she joined them at the trunk and he handed her some salt rounds. "We're going in blind and we need to be ready for anything really." Addison nodded and pulled out a shot gun before she loaded it and added a few more items to her bag. Sam walked to the front of the car to get something out of it when Dean glanced at Addison.
"Go ahead and ask what's on your mind, big guy," Addison said as she looked up at Dean and zipped up her bag.
"What?" Dean asked with a frown and Addison gave him a look that made him sigh before zipped up his own bag. "Why did you come along? Why did you leave Allie?"
"Dean, she's a big girl," Addison said. "She can take care of herself just fine. God knows she took care of me growing up despite the fact that we were the same age."
"Addie," Dean said with a look and Addison rolled her eyes.
"I've been out of the game for a while and Allie knows I wanted to get back in," she said. "Plus, someone's got to make sure you don't get your ass killed." Dean frowned and Addison sighed softly. "Look, for whatever reason, Allie loves you," she said and Dean frowned at the slight insult, but Addison pressed on. "She's done everything for me for as long as I can remember, Dean, and I'm going to have your back in whatever stupid situation you get yourself into because I'm going to make sure that you stick around. Apocalypse or not, the both of you deserve a little bit of happiness."
"Ready?" Sam asked as he rejoined them and Addison looked away from Dean as she threw her bag over her shoulder and slowly Dean closed the trunk. Addison looked up at Sam and plastered on a smile as she looked between the two Winchesters.
"Let's roll, boys," Addison said and the trio started to make their way into town on foot.
Allison was filling up the truck at a small gas station on the Iowa side of the Illinois/Iowa boarder while Bobby was still in the cab of the truck. Once the tank was full, she walked over to the open driver's side window to see Bobby looking at his phone with a frown. "I'm going to grab a few things from inside," she said and Bobby looked at her. "Do you want anything?" she asked.
"I'm good," Bobby said and she nodded before she went inside. She smiled at the woman behind the counter before she went to the cooler and grabbed a bottle of apple juice from the cooler for herself and a bottle of soda for Bobby even though he said he didn't want anything. She paid for their drinks and then walked back out to the truck to see Bobby slam his phone in his hand. "Damn it," he said and Allison frowned.
"What's wrong?" she asked as she climbed in the truck and closed the door. Bobby looked at her and sighed in frustration.
"I've been trying to get through to the boys, but my calls aren't getting through. They're cut off."
"So, demons really do have the town on lockdown," Allison said as she slowly handed the soda to Bobby, who took the bottle with a tight lipped smile in thanks. "Bobby, do you think they'll make it out okay?" she asked softly and he sighed as he looked at her.
"The boys know what they're doing, Allie, and so does Addison," Bobby said, trying to reassure her. "If anyone can handle it, it's them." Allison nodded and looked away from him. She took a drink of her apple juice and then placed the bottle in the cup holder before she started up the truck and hit the gas. She was focused on the road ahead, but that didn't mean her mind didn't wander on occasion and wonder if the guys and her sister were okay.
"Either of you seriously creped out by this?" Addison asked in a whisper as they walked past an overturned but empty car, guns at the ready, but the street was absolutely deserted. Sam and Dean both glanced at her, but didn't respond as they all kept on walking towards an idling car with the driver's side door open and the radio playing.
Sam approached first, but the car was empty and he reached in and killed the ignition with Addison coming to a stop behind him. They all looked around and then glanced at each other before they started down the street again. They came upon a bright red Mustang and Dean whistled in appreciation as they passed the mint condition car. The town truly looked like it was completely empty and that people had just stopped the cars, climbed out, and walked away.
Addison could feel the tension building in her stomach because she knew that something big was going on around them and the blood on the street only confirmed it for her. They started towards the church when the sound of a gun cocking behind them, made them wheel around, Addison and Dean raising their guns. However, none of them expected to see who they saw standing behind them.
"Ellen?" Sam asked as he put his hand on Dean's shoulder and then Addison's to get them to lower their weapons.
"Hello boys," she said before her eyes flickered to Addison, "Addie." As Dean and Addison lowered their guns, Ellen did the same.
"Ellen, what the hell is going on here?" Dean asked as he adjusted his bag and Ellen walked closer to them before throwing holy water in Dean's face and pointing her gun at his head. Dean gave her a slightly annoyed look as he licked his lips and tilted his head. "We're us," he assured her and she lowered her gun before she walked around them and led them down the street. Dean wiped the water from his face and sighed quietly as they turned and followed her to the church. Once inside, they walked over a line of salt and through a devil's trap on the floor before Ellen stopped and looked between Sam and Dean.
"I'm real glad to you three," she said, showing emotion for the first time before she hugged Dean and gave Sam and Addison small smiles over Dean's shoulder before she stepped back and smacked Dean across the face making both Addison and Sam jump slightly in surprise and Dean grunt as his head turned from the force of her slap. "The can of whoop-ass I ought to open up on you," she said firmly.
"Ow," Dean said as he rubbed his jaw and looked at her, but Ellen kept going on.
"What, you can't pick up a phone?" she asked. "Are you allergic to giving me peace of mind? You too, Addison," she said as she turned her eyes from Dean to her and the smile left her face as Ellen's eyes left her and went back to Dean. "I gotta find out that you're alive from Rufus?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, Ellen," Dean said dryly.
"Yeah, ya better be," she said. "You better put me on speed dial, kid."
"Yes, ma'am," Dean said and Ellen looked from Dean to Addison once more.
"Hey, my life hasn't been exciting as these two the last six months, so, I had nothing to report," Addison said as she held up her hands and Ellen smirked before she turned and walked down a flight of stairs. Dean and Sam shared a look and Addison shivered slightly. "Remind me not to get on her bad side," Addison whispered to Sam and he smiled at her before he gestured her to follow Dean and the three of them walked behind Ellen.
"So, what's going on, Ellen?" Dean asked as they went downstairs.
"More than I can handle alone," Ellen said.
"How many demons are there?" Sam asked.
"Pretty much the whole town minus the dead people and these guys," Ellen said.
"The whole town?" Addison asked, her tone disbelieving, but Ellen said nothing in response as they stopped in front of a closed door.
"So," Ellen said as she looked between them, "this is it, right? The end of times?"
"Seems like it," Sam said after the trio shared a look. Ellen nodded before she took a deep breath and walked to the door where she knocked firmly.
"It's me," she said and slowly the door opened to reveal a small room filled with a few people; a pregnant woman and a priest among them. There weren't many, but they all looked at the newcomers expectantly and the door was closed tightly behind them.
"Joy," Addison thought as she came to a stop on Dean's right and Sam flanked Dean's left as they took in their surroundings. If it came down to a fight, she wasn't so sure there would be many survivors out of the group. Only one looked like he knew how to handle a gun properly, the rest were just scared and confused; and that was never a good combination.
"This is Sam, Dean, and Addison," Ellen said. "They're hunters and here to help."
"You guys hip to this whole demon thing?" the guy with the familiarity with guns asked and they looked at him.
"Yeah, are you?" Dean asked and he nodded slightly before another man started to speak.
"My wife's eyes turned black," he said and they looked at him. He was dressed in a suit with graying hair and glasses. "She came at me with a brick. It kind of makes you embrace the paranormal." Addison sighed and she looked at Dean, who glanced at her before he took a deep breath and looked at Ellen.
"All right, catch us up," Dean said.
"I doubt I know much more than any of you," Ellen said. "Rufus called, said he was in town investigating omens and all of a sudden the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby-," Ellen said, but Dean interrupted her.
"You were hunting with Jo?" he asked surprised, and in truth Addison was too. She knew the woman was fiercely protective of her daughter and didn't want her to hunt like her husband did.
"Yeah, for a while now," Ellen said before she continued with her story. "We got here and the place . . . well, the place was like you see it. We couldn't find Rufus and then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you."
"Don't worry, we'll get her," Addison said and Ellen looked at her with a small nod.
"Either way, these people cannot just sit here," Sam said. "We got get them out, now."
"It's not that easy," Ellen said as she shook her head.
"You've tried," Addison said more than asked and Ellen nodded.
"We made a run for it once, and there used to be twenty of us," Ellen said and Sam sighed as they looked over the group of nine.
"Well, there's four of us now," Dean said and Ellen shook her head.
"You don't know what it's like out there. Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."
"What if we get everyone guns?" Sam asked and Addison looked at him.
"Are you going to arm up baby bump over here? She's not Allie, she's probably never fired a gun in her life," Dean said.
"The more salt we can fire at once, the more demons we can keep away," Sam said.
"Okay, but what are we going to use? Ellen's got a hand gun, we've got our shot guns, and Rambo's got his gun. That's four guns for thirteen people," Addison said and Dean looked at her.
"We passed a sporting goods store on Main when we were coming in," Dean said before he looked at Sam. "I bet they got guns." Dean sat down his bag while Sam talked to Ellen and Dean looked at Addison. "Addie, stay here with Ellen. I want you to start going over how to work a shot gun and what they're going to have to do."
"Is it because I don't have a penis that I'm being opted out of the run and being forced to give the teaching lesson?" she asked in a whisper with a raised eyebrow while Dean rolled his eyes.
"No, it's because I don't want to have to worry about you too while we're out there," Dean said and Addison frowned before she remembered Sam's addiction. Dean still wasn't letting it go, that much was obvious, but she wasn't about to lecture him. She could understand his trepidation, however, at the same time she felt bad for Sam.
"Fine, but you get hurt I'm kicking your ass since Allie will kick mine," she said and once again Dean rolled his eyes before he sighed and turned away from her, leaving the small established bunker with Sam. Addison sighed quietly and turned her eyes to Ellen who looked a little overwhelmed as she worried for her daughter and the situation they were in. "Okay," Addison said as she swirled away from Ellen and looked at the group as she held up her shotgun. "We're going to go through a quick crash course. Who can tell me how this thing works?"