The Song Remains the Same
Dean jerked awake from a very vivid dream to see Michelle and Castiel talking quietly by the couch, Sam passed out on the bed.
Michelle looked over at him, "Dean? You ok?"
Dean rubbed his eyes and sighed, "I think I just saw Anna…"
~8~
Castiel appeared in 225 Industrial, the location Dean had told him about, to see Anna standing there.
"Hello Anna," he greeted as she turned around.
"Well," Anna eyed him, "If I didn't know any better...I'd say the Winchesters don't trust me."
"They do. I don't. Neither does Michelle. We wouldn't let them come."
Anna watched as he circled her, turning to keep face-to-face with him, "And why is that?"
"If you're out of prison, it's because they let you out. And they sent you here to do their dirty work."
"And what makes you so sure?"
"Because I've experienced...Heaven's persuasion," Castiel replied, recalling the time he'd briefly joined the angels in keeping Dean and Michelle away from Sam as he killed Lilith. It had resulted in Michelle being sent to Hell and Lucifer being released.
He would never again be so foolish.
"You mean when you gave me to them," Anna replied. She had gone to try and stop him from releasing Sam when he'd been craving demon blood, just before he went to off Lilith. He'd given away her location and she'd been taken to Heaven, forbidden to leave there as the other angels believed she was interacting too much in the fate of humans.
"That was an accident," he looked away, "I didn't know they would do that to you for what you did for Michelle," he paused, she had been a better angel than him, in the end. She'd disobeyed Heaven's commands when she'd learned where Michelle had been sent, flown into Hell to save Michelle, knowing that she would be able to stop Sam. She had been the one to release her from Hell the second time, she'd brought her to the green room, but been captured by the angels as Michelle ran for the door. He hadn't heard from her since, but he knew what they were doing to her. Disobeying that order, after having already been a Fallen angel, she'd been locked away in a prison and 'taught' to obey, "Anna, whatever they sent you here to do..."
"They didn't send me. I escaped."
"No one escapes."
"All these centuries, and you're underestimating me now?"
"If you're not one of them, then what do you want?"
"I want to help."
"You want to help?" he repeated, eyeing her skeptically.
"Yes."
"Then what are doing with that knife?"
Anna hesitated a moment before pulling an ordinary knife, from her back pocket, her angelic blade had been taken from her, "I'm not allowed to defend myself?"
"Against whom?" he countered, "That blade doesn't work against angels. It's not like this one," he lifted his hand to show her his own angelic blade, "Maybe you're not working for Heaven. But there's something you're not telling me."
Anna took a breath, steeling herself for what she had to say, "Sam Winchester has to die."
"Michelle won't allow that."
"Then I'll kill her too, if I must," Anna promised, Castiel's eyes widened at that. Anna sighed, "I'm sorry but we have no choice. He's Lucifer's vessel."
"He's not the only one."
"What, that guy Nick?" she nearly scoffed, "He's burning away as we speak. No. Sam is the only vessel that matters. You know what that means? If Lucifer can't take Sam, his whole plan short-circuits. No fight with Michael, no Croatoan Virus. The Horsemen go back to their day jobs."
"Even if you could..." Castiel swallowed hard, "Kill Sam, Satan would just bring him back to life."
"Not after I scatter his cells across the Universe. They'll never find him. Not all of him."
There was a long pause as Anna looked at Castiel.
"We'll find another way," Castiel looked up at her.
"How's that going?" she smirked, "How's the Colt working out? Or the search for God? Is anything working?"
"Michelle is working on it. I've...glimpsed what she's been researching..."
"Glimpsed?" Anna raised an eyebrow, "That's not enough Castiel. You have no idea what it is, if it will even work. If you want to stop the devil, this is how."
"The answer's still no. Because Sam is my friend."
Anna eyed him, "You've changed."
"Maybe too late, but I have," he admitted, "Anna, we've been through much together, but you come near Sam Winchester and I'll kill you, and I won't need Michelle to order me to do it."
Anna tensed, hearing the promise, the threat, in his voice, before she disappeared.
~8~
Castiel was drawing a symbol in chalk on the table in the motel room as Sam sat on the far bed watching, Michelle sitting beside him. Dean was pacing, thinking over all that Castiel had told them. Now he was grateful Michelle had insisted he tell Castiel the dream and stay in the room. He hadn't believed Michelle or Castiel when they said something was very wrong for Anna to be there. He should have known better than to doubt either of them.
"Really?" Dean shook his head, "Anna? I don't believe it."
"It's true," Castiel replied.
"So she's gone all Glenn Close, huh? That's awesome."
Castiel straightened up and looked at him, confused, "Who's Glenn Close?"
Michelle just waved off the question as Dean turned and walked over to her and Sam, "No one, just this psycho bitch who likes to boil rabbits," Dean remarked.
"So the plan to kill me…would it actually stop Satan?" Sam asked.
"No, Sam, come on," Dean rolled his eyes at his brother at the same time as Sam cried out "Ow!"
Michelle had just smacked him upside the head.
"No," Castiel replied, smiling just a bit at the action, "Anna's, uh, Glenn Close."
Sam rubbed his head and mock glared at Michelle, who just gave him a 'what?' look.
"I don't get it," Dean sighed, walking over to Castiel, "We're looking for the chick that wants to gank Sam. Why poke the bear?"
"Anna will keep trying," Michelle called over.
"Can't you order her to stop?" Dean shook his head at her.
"I'd have to be around her long enough to do it," she shook her head, "And then we'd have to hope that an archangel didn't order her first."
"Great," Dean rolled his eyes.
"She won't give up until Sam is dead."
"So we kill her first," Castiel agreed. He poured some holy oil into a bowl sitting on the table and began to chant in Enochian, "Zod ah ma ra la ee est la gi ro sa."
The bowl shot up red flames as Castiel stumbled away from the table to lean heavily on the back of a chair. Michelle quickly made her way to his side, supporting him as he breathed heavily, his eyes scrunched closed. Sam and Dean exchanged worried looks.
"I've found her," Castiel breathed, looking up.
"Where is she?" Dean asked.
"Not where," Castiel said, looking meaningfully at Michelle.
"When..." she breathed, cursing under her breath.
Castiel straightened up, "It's 1978."
"What?" Sam frowned, standing to join Dean and Michelle over by Castiel, "Why 1978? I wasn't even born yet."
"You won't be if she kills your parents."
"What?" Sam's eyes widened.
"Anna can't get to you because of me and Michelle," Castiel walked over to the boys, Michelle standing close by in case he faltered, "So she's going after them."
"Take us back right now," Dean demanded.
"And deliver you right to Anna?" Castiel shook his head, "I should go alone."
"They're our parents. Cas, we're going."
Castiel looked at Michelle, silently asking for help. She sighed, "It's not that easy."
"Why not?" Sam frowned.
"Time travel was difficult even with the powers of Heaven at my disposal," Castiel sighed.
"Which got cut off," Sam began, slowly understanding.
"So..." Dean shook his head, "What, you're like a Delorean without enough plutonium?"
"I don't understand that reference," Castiel remarked.
"Taking this trip with passengers," Michelle cut in, "It'll weaken him, a lot."
Dean's jaw tensed as he stepped up, looking Cas in the eye, "They're our mom and dad. If we can save them, and not just from Anna, I mean, if we can set things right, we have to try."
Castiel looked at Michelle, who could only shake her head. She couldn't reason them out of this. Things were different when it came to family.
Castiel sighed before disappearing, only to reappear moments later with two jars of holy oil. He walked over to a duffle bag and pulled it up, packing the jars as well as his angelic blade and turning to face them.
"Ready?" he asked.
Sam pulled a bag of supplies onto his shoulder, "Not really."
Michelle stepped beside him and took his hand, holding onto him so she could be transported with them.
"Bend your knees," Dean commented.
Castiel reached out and touched Sam and Dean's foreheads with two fingers...
And they appeared in the middle of the street as a car honked at them, coming to a stop inches from them. They quickly backed up. Michelle turning and running to the sidewalk, looking around frantically, before ducking down by a car as Dean and Sam nearly got hit by yet another car.
"Did we make it?" Sam asked.
"Unless they're bringing Pintos back into production, I, uh, I'd say yes," Dean remarked, looking around.
"Guys!" Michelle hissed.
They turned to see her crouching beside the collapsed form of Castiel, laying hunched over by a car, his nose bleeding, gripping Michelle's hand tightly in his own.
"Cas?" Sam's eyes widened as they both ran to crouch beside him as well.
"Hey," Dean breathed.
"Hey, hey, hey," Sam reached out to try and help steady him.
"Take it easy," Dean called as Castiel tried to move, "Take it easy. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he slurred, shock evident in his voice, "I'm much better than I expected."
Sam and Dean exchanged a look and tried to help Castiel up but he just coughed up blood and passed out.
"Cas!" Michelle shouted, reaching out and putting her hand before his mouth, "He's breathing," she breathed in relief.
"What do we do?" Sam asked.
Michelle looked around, seeing a small motel halfway up the block, "Help me get him there," she nodded at it, "He needs to rest. Taking the three of us was too much."
The boys nodded and helped the angel up between them, Michelle taking the supplies.
~8~
Sam ripped out a page from the phonebook at a payphone as Dean stepped out of the motel, Michelle following behind.
"I mean, the mustaches alone..." Sam commented to himself.
"So I paid for Cas for five nights up in the, uh, honeymoon suite," Dean told his brother, "I told the manager, 'Do not disturb no matter what.' You know what he said to me?"
"'Yeah. Don't sweat it. Want to buy some dope?'" Michelle laughed as Sam snorted.
"Dope. We ought to stick around here, buy some stock in Microsoft."
"Yeah, we might have to if Cas doesn't recover," Sam remarked before looking at Michelle, "Is he alright?"
She smiled, "He'll be fine, he just needs a couple days to recharge."
"Yeah," Dean seemed to agree, "He's, you know, tough for a little nerdy dude with wings."
"If he landed like that, hopefully, so did Anna. Should buy us some time."
"So, did you find 'em?" Dean asked, turning to his brother.
"Yeah," he nodded, holding up the scrap of paper, "Uh, the Winchesters. 45 Robin Tree."
"Let's go pop in on the folks," Dean mumbled as they headed off to find transportation.
~8~
They pulled up to a very nice, normal-looking house in a rental car, eyeing it a moment before getting out...and staring some more.
Sam took a breath and headed towards the house.
"Sam," Dean called, running after his brother, pulling him back, "Sam. Wait, wait, wait, wait."
"Dean, Anna could be here any second," Sam replied.
"What exactly are we gonna march up there and tell 'em?"
"Uh, the truth."
"What, that their sons are back from the future to save them from an angel gone 'Terminator?' Come on. Those movies haven't even come out yet."
"Well, then tell her demons are after 'em," Sam shrugged, "I mean, she thinks you guys are Hunters, right?" he looked between Dean and Michelle.
"Yeah, Hunters who disappeared right when her dad died," Dean rolled his eyes, "She's gonna love us. Just follow my lead."
He walked up to the house and knocked quickly, the three of them waiting till the door opened to reveal a young Mary Winchester. The smile that had been on her face quickly faded into a hard look as she saw Dean and Michelle standing there with another man.
"Hi, Mary," Dean began.
"You can't be here," she hissed.
"I'm sorry if this is a bad time," Michelle tried.
"You don't understand. I'm not...I don't do that anymore. I have a normal life now. You have to go."
"I'm sorry, but this is important, ok?" Dean said quietly as a young John Winchester stepped up to the doorway to join his wife.
"Sorry, sweetie, they're just..." Mary turned to her husband.
"Mary's cousins," Michelle said quickly, trying to come up with a believable excuse for them to be standing on the doorstep.
"Yeah," Dean agreed, "We couldn't stop through town without swinging by and saying 'hey,' now, could we?" he grinned, shaking John's hand.
"You look familiar," John remarked, glancing at Dean and Michelle, a vague recollection in his mind.
"Really?" Dean looked for something to say to that, "Yeah, you do too actually, you know? We must have met sometime."
"Small towns, right?" Michelle grinned, trying to lessen the awkwardness, "Gotta love 'em."
"I'm John," he shook her hand.
"This is Sam," Dean nodded at his brother.
"Sam," John smiled, shaking his hand, "Uh, Mary's father was a Sam."
"Uh, it's a..." Dean began.
"It's a family name," Michelle cut in.
John looked down at Sam, who had yet to let go of his hand, "You ok, pal?" Michelle reached out and gently laid a hand on Sam's arm, startling him enough to drop John's hand, "You look a little spooked."
"Oh," Sam started, "Oh, yeah. Just a...long trip."
"Yeah," Dean agreed, laughing.
"Well, Sam, Dean, and Michelle were just on their way out," Mary tried to usher them away.
"What?" John looked surprised, "They just got here. Real happy to meet folks from Mary's side. Please, come on in for a beer."
"I don't drink," Michelle said, trying to diffuse the situation, when Dean just had to grin and reply, "Twist my arm."
John laughed and smiled, stepping back to let them into the house, not noticing his wife's less than pleased expression.
~8~
They were sitting in the living room, John and Mary across from Dean, Sam, and Michelle, who were sitting on a long couch.
"Are you sure you're ok, Sam?" John asked, concerned, as Sam continued to stare at Mary, much like he had since they'd first arrived.
Michelle put her hand on his leg, silently offering her support as he spoke, "Wh…oh. Yeah, yeah. Um, I'm just, um…you are so beautiful."
"He means that in a…a non-weird, wholesome, family kind of a way," Dean added.
"Yeah, right," John nodded slowly.
"They were telling me on the way over that they hadn't seen Mary in quite some time," Michelle cut in, "And apparently she's the spitting image of their mom."
Dean nodded, "I mean, it's…it's…"
"Eerie," Sam finished, taking Michelle's hand and squeezing it.
"So, how are you guys related?" John asked.
"You know, uh, distantly," Dean shrugged.
"I'm just a friend of the family," Michelle added, though Sam put his arm around her.
John smiled, seeing the interaction, knowing she must be slightly more than just a friend to Sam, "So you knew Mary's parents?" John asked Dean.
"Yeah," Dean nodded, "Yeah, yeah. Mary's dad was, uh, pretty much like a grandpa to us."
"That was tragic…that heart attack."
"Yes, it was."
"So, uh, what are you guys doing in town, anyway?" he continued to ask. He genuinely seemed eager to know Mary's family.
"Uh, business, you know."
"Oh, yeah? What line of work?"
"Plumbing," Sam said, at the same time Dean said, "Scrap metal."
Michelle wanted to face palm so badly.
"Oh, gosh," Mary cut in, sensing a flaw in their story, "It's almost seven. I hate to be rude, but I got to get dinner ready."
"Maybe they could stay," John suggested to his wife.
"I'm sure they have to leave."
The phone started to ring. John looked back at it before turning to the trio, "Uh, look, please stay. You know, it would mean a lot to me. I haven't met much of Mary's side of the family," he got up and went into the kitchen to answer.
"You have to leave," Dean turned to Mary, quietly trying to convince her, so as not to alert John, "Now," Mary just gave him a hard look, not liking being ordered around, Dean sighed, "Ok, just listen…"
"No, you listen," Mary cut in, "Last time I saw the two of you, a demon killed my parents. Now you waltz in here like you're family? Whatever you want, no. Leave me alone."
"You and John are in danger," Michelle said, using the one card she knew Mary would listen to, her husband's safety.
"What are you talking about?"
"Something's coming for you," Dean told her.
"Demon?"
"Not exactly," Michelle sighed.
"Well, what, then?"
"It's kind of hard to explain, ok?" Dean ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, "It's…it's…"
"An angel," Sam said quickly.
"What?" Mary laughed, "There's no such thing."
"I wish," Dean scoffed.
"They're twice as strong as demons," Michelle began, trying to explain the danger...only for it to be ruined by Dean adding...
"And bigger dicks."
"Why would an angel want to kill us?" Mary shook her head, not understanding.
"It's a long story, and we'll tell you the whole thing, but right now, you've got to trust us, and we gotta go," Dean said seriously, "Look at my face and tell me if I'm lying to you."
Mary glanced at him, seeing him staring at her, no sense of laughter in his eyes, she nodded, "Ok. Where do we go?"
"Out of here. We gotta move now, though."
"Ok. But what do I tell John?"
"Just tell him..."
"John?" Michelle's voice cut in.
They looked at her to see her staring at the kitchen, concerned. She hadn't heard any sounds from there for a while. They quickly made their way to the kitchen to see a note from John 'Back in 15, J' on the notepad by the door.
"Where'd he go?" Sam looked around, trying to find a clue.
"I...I don't know," Mary replied. There were quite a few places he could have gone to. The local diner, the shop, the store...
"Shit," Michelle replied before snatching the pencil off the notepad and running over to the counter. She quickly began to draw something on the surface, much to Mary's chagrin.
Dean and Sam walked over, frowning as they watched her.
"What are you doing?" Dean asked, not wanting to waste time when they could be finding their father.
"There're too many places to search," she said, "We need to know where he is...'cause he's probably walking into a trap Anna set."
"Wait a minute," Sam frowned, "Isn't that the symbol Cas was drawing?"
She nodded, "It's an angelic tracker spell. It's dangerous for humans to do. One wrong word, one mispronunciation...and you burn alive."
Their eyes widened at that as Dean reached out to grab arm, trying to stop her, but she twisted away.
"Good thing I'm fluent in Enochian," she smirked, before turning back to the symbol, "Zod ah ma ra la ee est la gi ro sa!" she slammed her hand down on the symbol. There was a bright light and when it cleared, Michelle was slumped against the back kitchen wall.
"Michelle!" Sam shouted, running to her side. He shook her head a bit, stirring her, "You ok?"
She winced, rubbing her head, before grabbing onto Sam to help herself up, "Anna's at the garage."
~8~
They ran into the garage just in time to see Anna shove John through the air and crashing into the top of a car, rolling over it to fall to the ground. Dean grabbed Castiel's sword and ran at Anna, about to stab her through the back, when she turned and grabbed his arm.
"I wish I could say it's good to see you, Anna," Dean remarked.
"You too, Dean," she agreed before shoving him away, sending him flying through a wall, knocking him out.
"I'm sorry," Anna turned to John, seeing Mary trying to wake him, only for Sam to run in front of her with the blade he'd scooped up from where Dean had dropped it.
He flipped it in his hand, getting a better grip and attacking her. He swung, managing to slash her arm before she sent him flying onto the top of a car. He crawled across it, falling to the floor by a tool chest. He spun around, stabbing Anna through the heart with Castiel's blade. Anna cried out in pain for a moment before tensing and straightening up, pulling it out of her.
"Sorry," she said, "It's not that easy to kill an angel, only another angel can."
"Yeah," Michelle called, "But you can distract 'em."
Anna spun around to see that Michelle had drawn a banishing symbol on the wall in blood and pressed her hand to it. Sam let out a breath as Anna disappeared before grabbing a cloth and going over to Michelle to wrap her hand up. He glanced over to see Mary helping the now-stunned and clearly awake John to his feet as Dean stumbled back into the room. They all exchanged looks, not knowing what to say to John.
"You REALLY need to teach us that," Dean remarked to Michelle.
~8~
"Monsters…" John shook his head as he drove the Impala down the road, Mary in the seat next to him, Michelle, Sam, and Dean in the back, "Monsters?"
"Yes," Mary replied softly.
"Monsters are real," John said tensely.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know how..."
"And you fight them?" John cut in, glancing at the rearview mirror, "All of you?"
"Yeah."
"How long?"
"All my life."
"John, just try to understand, she didn't exactly have a choice..." Dean tried to defend the woman.
"Shut up, all of you!" John shouted, "Look, not another word, or so help me, I will turn this car around!"
"Wow," Dean leaned over and whispered to Sam across Michelle, "Awkward family road trip."
"No kidding," Sam agreed.
"Not technically family," Michelle shrugged.
Dean glanced at his brother, who just took Michelle's hand. He really needed to get a bet going on how long it would be before Michelle was family.
~8~
Mary led them into an old, worn down house, flipping on the lights, "Place has been in the family for years..." she tossed a rug up to reveal a red trap painted on the floor, "Devil's Trap. Pure iron fixtures, of course," she paused in an archway and turned to face them, gesturing back at the kitchen behind her, "Um, there should be salt and holy water in the pantry, knives, guns."
"All that stuff will do is piss it off," Dean told her.
"So, what will kill it?"
"Only an angel can kill an angel," Michelle called. They looked over to see her standing by the front door with it open, drawing something on it in chalk.
"Great," Mary rolled her eyes, "Then what will slow it down, at least?"
"Not much," Sam told her.
"Just great."
"He said not much, not nothing," Michelle called, walking into the room, "That mark on the door is a warding in Enochian. It'll hold them back for a little while at least. Give us time."
Dean nodded, "And we packed," he hefted the bag Castiel had made and pulled out a slip of paper with the banishing sigil that Michelle had drawn for them when they left the garage, "If we put this up and she comes close, we beam her right off the starship."
"Mmm," Mary nodded.
"This is holy oil," Sam added, pulling out one of the old clay urns, "It's kind of like a…like a Devil's Trap for angels. Come on. I'll show you how it works," he nodded towards the living room, walking out, with Michelle carrying the second flask, and Mary following.
John stepped up as Dean looked through the bag for weapons, "Hey, what's the deal with the thing on the paper?"
"It's a sigil," Dean explained, "That means..."
"I don't care what it means. Where does it go?"
"On a wall or a door."
"How big should I make it?"
"John..." Dean shook his head.
"What? Y'all might have treated me like a fool, but I am not useless. I can draw a damn whatever it is, a sigil. Why don't you go help Sam out?"
"Michelle's got that covered," Dean waved off the question, "And besides this has got to be done in...it's got to be done in human blood."
John stared him down a moment before pulling out a knife from the table and slicing his hand, "So, how big?"
Dean looked at him a moment before looking down, a small smile on his face, "I'll show you."
"What?" John frowned, seeing the smile.
"All of a sudden, you...you really remind me of my dad," he told the man.
~8~
"That's really good," Sam commented as he and Michelle went to look for John as he put up a few sigils.
"You come to check on me?" John looked over his shoulder at them, wiping his hand off on a cloth.
"Uh...I wanted to say I…I'm sorry about all this," Sam apologized, "I…I know it's a lot..."
"Look, how long have you known about this...hunting stuff?" John asked, looking between the two.
"Since I was three," Michelle answered.
"Pretty much forever," Sam agreed, he'd been eight, but it felt like forever, "My dad raised me in it."
"You're serious?" John asked, completely aghast, "Who the hell does that to a kid?"
"Well, I mean, for the record, Mary's parents did."
"I don't care," John glared, "You know, what kind of irresponsible bastard lets a child anywhere near…you know, you could've been killed!"
"I, uh...came kind of close."
"The number it must've done on your head..." John shook his head, unable to fathom that, "Your father was supposed to protect you."
"It does depend on the parent," Michelle commented, "My parents always made sure we knew what we were up against, how to fight it, how to distract it, how to kill it, how many there were. They were always there, ready to step in if it got too much for me, or if I got hurt."
Sam nodded, agreeing, his dad was very different than Michelle's parents, "He was trying. He died trying. Believe me. I used to be mad at him. I…I mean, I used to...I used to hate the guy. But now I…I...I get it. He was...just doing the best he could. And he was trying to keep it together in…in…in this impossible situation. See..." he took a breath, steeling himself to talk about such a personal thing, and knowing who he was talking to, "My mom, um...she was amazing, beautiful, and she was the love of his life. And she got killed. And...I think he would have gone crazy if he didn't do something. Truth is, um, my dad died before I got to tell him that I understand why he did what he did. And I forgive him for what it did to us. I do. And I just…I love him."
"He knows Sam," Michelle smiled at him, taking his hand, "And not just because of the obvious," she subtly nodded at John, "But he knows."
Sam smiled softly at her, squeezing her hand, before looking up at John, "You know...honestly...I would probably thank him for it right now."
"Thank him?" John frowned.
Sam nodded, "If he hadn't raised me the way he had, I wouldn't have made some of the choices I made, done some of the things I've done..." he turned back to Michelle and brushed a strand of her hair from her face, "I never would have met Michelle...the love of MY life."
Michelle beamed at the declaration and kissed Sam gently.
John just shook his head at them, they may be crazy for doing what the do...but even he could see they found happiness in each other through it...and he felt, maybe, it wasn't as awful as he first thought if there was room to hope for love as well.
~8~
Sam and Michelle headed back to the living room where Mary was setting up the holy oil, only to see her standing face-to-face with Dean, demanding answers. Michelle stepped forward, about to help Dean explain, when Sam tugged her back, holding a finger to his lips. He wanted to hear what his brother would say.
"...gonna have to trust me, ok?" Dean was saying.
"I've been trusting you all day," Mary countered.
"It's kind of hard to believe…"
"Alright, then," Mary threw up her hands and turned to go, "I'm walking out the door."
"I'm your son," Dean called.
Mary froze, turning around to face him, stunned, "What?"
"I'm your son," Dean repeated, taking a step forward, twisting his ring as he continued to speak, "Sorry. I don't know how else to say it. We're from the year 2010. An angel zapped us back here. Not the one that attacked you. Friendlier."
"You can't expect me to believe that," she shook her head.
"Our names are Dean and Sam Winchester. We're named after your parents. When I would get sick, you would make me tomato-rice soup, because that's what your mom made you. And instead of a lullaby, you would sing 'Hey Jude,' 'cause that's your favorite Beatles song."
Mary blinked, tears coming to her eyes as she listened to him, seeing the truth in the words, "I...I don't believe it. No."
"I'm sorry, but it's true."
"I raised my kids to be Hunters?" she breathed, completely horrified.
"No," Dean said quickly, "No, you didn't."
"How could I do that to you?"
"You didn't do it," Dean cut in, steeling himself for what he was about to tell her, "Because you're dead."
"What?" she gasped, swallowing hard, "What happened?"
"Yellow-eyed demon. He killed you and John became a Hunter to get revenge. He raised us in this life. Listen to me. A demon comes into Sam's nursery exactly six months after he's born. November 2nd, 1983. Remember that date. And whatever you do, do not go in there. You wake up that morning and you take Sam and you run."
"That's not good enough, Dean," Sam called, stepping into the room, Michelle beside him, holding his hand, "Wherever she goes, the demon's gonna find her. Find me."
"Well, then what?"
"She can leave dad. That's what. You gotta leave John."
"Sam..." Michelle began, shaking her head. If Mary did that, Sam would never be born...neither would Dean.
"What?" Mary looked at him, eyes wide.
"When this is all over, walk away, and never look back," Sam explained.
"So we're never born," Dean followed, nodding, "He's right."
"No..." Michelle tried again, but Sam just squeezed her hand.
"I…I can't," Mary breathed, "You're saying that you're my children, and now you're saying..."
"You have no other choice," Dean told her, "There's a big difference between dying and never being born. And trust me, we're ok with it, I promise you that."
"And I still get no say..." Michelle mumbled to herself. This was just like when Dean had agreed to let Sam leave before. But it seemed like no one heard her.
"Ok, well, I'm not," Mary replied firmly.
"Listen, you think you can have that normal life that you want so bad, but you can't," Sam said sadly, he could relate to wanting it. But...even though he didn't feel that way now, he could still recall the feeling, "I'm sorry. It's all gonna go rotten. You are gonna die and your children will be cursed."
"There…there has to be a way…"
"No, this is the way. Leave John."
"I can't," she swallowed hard.
"This is bigger than us. There are so many more lives at stake..."
"You don't understand. I can't. It's too late. I'm...I'm pregnant."
The boys stood there, stunned, staring at their mother, now carrying a growing Dean within her. Michelle stepped over to the woman and gave her a hug, "Congratulations," she whispered in Mary's ear, pulling away as the woman smiled a bit, blinking back her tears, "If it makes a difference, I don't agree with their 'never being born' idea either."
"You don't?" Mary breathed, relieved that at least someone wasn't telling her to give up her children. She looked over Michelle's shoulder to see Dean and Sam watching her carefully.
"No," Michelle shook her head, "I'd be out a brother and a boyfriend," she joked.
Mary let out a little laugh, "I'm sorry...I know they're my sons," she nodded at Sam and Dean, "You're Sam's girlfriend?" she couldn't explain the flitter in her heart at the thought that one of her sons may have found love even amidst hunting.
Michelle's blush was answer enough, "Yeah, Michelle Davidson," she held out her hand to shake Mary's, "Nice to meet you."
Mary blinked, "Davidson?" she asked, recognition flashing in her eyes, "So...you're father is...Giles was it?"
"Miles," Michelle corrected.
"Wow," Mary breathed, "Who's your mother?"
"Kelly-Ann Aarons."
"You're kidding me," Mary looked at her, stunned.
"Something wrong?" Dean frowned, seeing his mother's reaction to Michelle's parents.
"You hunt with them?" Mary looked at Michelle, a sudden urgency in her voice, "With my sons?"
"Yeah," Michelle nodded.
Mary smiled, tears in her eyes again, before pulling the woman into a hug, "Thank you," she whispered in Michelle's ear. If this girl was anything like the whispers about either the Davidsons or the Aarons, her sons would be that much safer in her book.
"I don't understand..." Sam shook his head, eyeing his mother and Michelle as they pulled apart.
Mary turned to them, "The Davidsons are practically famous in the Hunter community. They, and the Aarons, are two of the oldest Hunter lines."
Sam and Dean exchanged a look, how had they not known that little fact, "Really?" they asked.
Mary nodded, "There are even rumors that they're ancestors were some of the first Hunters ever."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Sam frowned.
Michelle shrugged and looked at Sam, "Lots of reasons. I didn't want to seem arrogant, I didn't want resentment from him," she nodded at Dean, "I didn't want to intimidate you."
"Intimidate us?" Dean scoffed.
Michelle looked over her shoulder at Dean, rolling her eyes, "You were both convinced I wouldn't live up to your standards. Remember, when I started hunting with you? Really, you should have been worried about living up to mine."
"Did we?" Sam asked.
Michelle smirked, before jokingly replying, "You're getting there."
Mary smiled a bit, seeing the interaction between the three of them, "You must be an incredible Hunter..."
"I'm ok," she shrugged, before smiling at Mary, "You're sons though..." she shook her head, trailing off, though the look of pride in her eyes was enough for the boys to know that she just couldn't find the words to describe their abilities.
Mary looked between her boys, the smallest of smiles on her face, a glow of pride forming in her eyes, when suddenly John ran into the room.
"Hey, we got a problem!" he shouted, "Those blood things, the sigils…they're gone."
"Gone as in..." Sam began, but Michelle just pushed past him and took one look at the smudged and faded blood sigil and ran to the door.
"I drew one on the back of the door," John explained, "I turned around. And when I looked back again, it was a smudge."
"He's right," Michelle called, running back into the room, even the warding on the front doors had been removed.
"There's no more holy oil!" Mary gasped, looking down at the dry floor, no sign of any of the oil she'd been pouring moments ago.
Sam and Dean tensed, running to the bag and grabbing what weapons they could just before a high-pitched note rang throughout the house. Sam, Dean, Mary, and John hunched over, grabbing their ears as Michelle stood, her hand grabbing her gun as she looked up at the ceiling, ignoring the warning within the squeal. The windows shattered, sending glass raining down on them.
As soon as it faded the door in the kitchen flew open and a young black man strolled in and over to the living room.
"Who the hell are you?" Dean stepped up, ushering John and Mary to stand behind the three of them.
"It's Uriel," Michelle replied as the man in question turned to give her an odd look
"Do I know you?" he frowned.
"Get out," she tried.
He blinked, "Was that supposed to be an order?"
Michelle's eyes widened, "Crap..."
"What?" Sam looked over at her.
"I'm not born yet..." she reasoned, before shaking her head, "I haven't saved Dean from Hell...he doesn't have to listen to me."
"Oh, come on," Dean groaned.
Uriel frowned, eyeing the three of them, "What are you?"
"Go!" Sam shouted at John and Mary, trying to get them back to the front door, only to stop short, seeing Anna standing on the staircase. They looked back and forth between the two angels, this was not good.
"Anna," Michelle tried, turning to face the woman, "You need to stop this."
"I'm sorry," Anna shook her head, "But it has to happen."
"Then I'll stop you," Michelle told her, "And I'm sorry, I am, because I'm grateful that you pulled me out of Hell when Zachariah sent me there, but I can't let you do this."
Anna remained stoic.
"Here goes nothin'," Dean commented, seeing Michelle's attempt to reason with the angel was not working.
He and Sam exchanged a look before Dean lunged at Uriel, who simply tossed him back into the kitchen, straight into the corner of the counter.
Sam nodded at Michelle, who ran over to face Uriel, while he dealt with Anna, both hoping they could slow them down and distract them enough for Mary and John to get away. He tried to stab her but she tossed him through a wall. Michelle ran in front of Uriel as he tried to kick Dean and shoved him back. Uriel looked surprised at that, eyeing her closely before attacking once more.
Sam groaned as he pushed himself up, only to find that he'd dropped Castiel's blade. He looked over to see John lunge for the blade, only for Anna to step in front of him, lift him up, and shove him through the wall and outside.
"John!" Mary shouted.
Michelle blocked a hit from Uriel and looked over to see Anna advancing on Mary.
Sam quickly ran in front of her. Anna stopped, seeing a match in Sam and ran back to the wall, breaking off a beam from within it. Just as Sam reached for the sword Anna spun and shoved the stake through Sam.
"Sam!" Michelle screamed. She punched Uriel hard across the face and tried to attack Anna but Uriel grabbed her from behind and shoved her against a wall, strangling her.
"Sammy!" Dean shouted, waking up to see his brother fall to the floor, Anna having stabbed him, with Michelle being dangled above the ground, Uriel trying to choke her.
"Sam..." Michelle gasped as Sam collapsed and Anna turned to Mary. She lasted a moment longer before the black spots swarmed her vision and the world went dark.
Dean watched in horror as Uriel dropped Michelle to the ground and turned to him. He struggled to his feet, backing away from the angel as Anna stepped up to Mary.
"I'm…really sorry," Anna told the woman.
"Anna..." a voice said behind her.
Everyone froze and looked over to see John was back, completely unharmed from Anna's throw...and, with how the angels stared at him, it wasn't John.
"Michael," Anna breathed, stunned beyond anything that he was there, on Earth.
Michael just reached out a hand and laid it on Anna's shoulder, above her heart. Moments later she burst into flames, her eyes exuding light, as her body literally burned from the inside out.
And then...Anna was gone.
Only an angel could kill an angel after all.
"Michael?" Uriel called out as the man turned to him, "I didn't know."
"Goodbye Uriel," Michael snapped his fingers and Uriel disappeared.
"What did you do to John?" Mary asked, looking at the man who was not her husband.
"John is fine," Michael reassured her.
"Who…what are you?" Mary gasped, taking a step back.
"Shh..." Michael whispered, touching her head with two fingers. Mary collapsed, unconscious, "Well, I'd say this conversation is long overdue, wouldn't you?" Michael turned and looked at Dean, walking into the living room.
"Fix him," Dean nearly growled as he leaned against the archway of the kitchen, "And Michelle."
"First we talk," Michael said, glancing at Sam's fallen body, "Then I fix your darling little Sammy."
"And Michelle?" he frowned, not liking how the man seemed to disregard her.
"She's unconscious, but alive," Michael reassured him, glancing at the girl on the ground, "She's harder to kill than she looks."
"How'd you get in my dad, anyway?" Dean eyed him.
"I told him I could save his wife, and he said yes."
"I guess they oversold me being your one and only vessel."
"You're my true vessel but not my only one."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm sure she's told you by now," Michael nodded at Michelle, "It's a bloodline."
"Yeah," Dean nodded slowly, "But why our bloodline?"
"Yours stretches back to Cain and Abel," Michael informed him, "It's in your blood, your father's blood, your family's blood."
"Awesome," Dean rolled his eyes, "Six degrees of Heaven Bacon. What do you want with me?"
"You really don't know the answer to that?" Michael frowned, eyeing Dean.
"Well, you know I ain't gonna say yes, so why are you here?" Dean glared, "What do you want with me?!"
"I just want you to understand what you and I have to do."
"Oh, I get it," Dean spat, "You got a beef with your brother. Well, get some therapy, pal. Don't take it out on my planet!"
"You're wrong," Michael shook his head, "Lucifer defied our father, and he betrayed me. But still...I don't want this any more than you would want to kill Sam," Dean's eyes widened as Michael turned and walked over to look down at Sam in thought, "You know, my brother, I practically raised him. I took care of him in a way most people could never understand, and I still love him," he looked up at Dean, "But I am going to kill him because it is right and I have to."
"Oh, because God says so?" Dean scoffed, though unable to deny the churning of his insides at how Michael spoke...it was far too similar to him and Sam.
"Yes. From the beginning He knew this was how it was going to end."
"And you're just gonna do whatever God says."
"Yes, because I am a good son."
"Ok, well, trust me, pal," Dean smirked, "Take it from someone who knows…that is a dead-end street."
"And you think you know better than my father?" Michael turned back to him, an eyebrow raised, "One unimportant little man. What makes you think you get to choose?"
"Because I gotta believe that I can choose what I do with my...unimportant little life."
"You're wrong," Michael said calmly, "You know how I know? Think of a million random acts of chance that let John and Mary be born, to meet, to fall in love, to have the two of you. Think of the million random choices that you make, and yet how each and every one of them brings you closer to your destiny. Do you know why that is? Because it's not random. It's not chance. It's a plan that is playing itself out perfectly. Freewill's an illusion Dean."
Dean scoffed, shaking his head, before looking at Michael, "You know, I wish Michelle was awake right now, 'cause she could probably come up with a hundred reasons why you're wrong."
"You think so?" Michael seemed to consider Dean's words a minute before smiling, "You obviously don't know her as well as you believe. She knows what freewill is about, as do I, and that's why you're going to say yes," Dean frowned, "Oh, buck up. It could be worse. You know, unlike my brothers, I won't leave you a drooling mess when I'm done wearing you."
"Well, what about my dad?" Dean glared.
"Better than new," Michael promised, "In fact, I'm gonna do your mom and your dad a favor."
"What?"
"Scrub their minds. They won't remember me or you."
"You can't do that!"
"I'm just giving your mother what she wants. She can go back to her husband, her family..."
"She's gonna walk right into that nursery!"
"Obviously. And you always knew that was going to play out one way or another. You can't fight City Hall," he turned and knelt down by Sam, touching his forehead, Sam disappeared, "He's home, safe and sound..." he walked past Dean and over to Michelle, doing the same to her, "As is she..." before turning to face Dean, "Your turn. I'll see you soon, Dean."
He reached out and pressed two fingers to Dean's forehead and suddenly he was back in the motel.
~8~
Sam was standing at a small sink near the bathroom, wiping his face off, when suddenly he looked up to see Castiel behind him.
"Cas!" Michelle shouted before Sam could even turn around. She ran to the angel's side, steadying him as he swayed.
"Hey," Dean ran over to the angel's other side, "Hey, hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa."
"Cas," Sam breathed, standing before him, "We got you."
"You son of a bitch," Dean smirked, "You made it."
"I...I did?" Castiel looked down, still dazed, "I'm very surprised."
"Whoa!" Dean lurched, grabbing Cas as he basically collapsed between him and Michelle, "You're ok. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa."
"Bed?" Sam asked, stepping forward to grab Cas's arm from Michelle, "Yeah, yeah."
"Whoa," Dean grunted as he and Sam dragged Castiel to the edge of the bed and sat him down, Michelle moving a pillow behind the angel's head.
"Well, I could use that drink now."
"Yeah," Dean agreed, turning to grab a bottle of whiskey and two cups. He poured a shot for him and Sam as Michelle sat beside Cas on the bed, "Well...this is it," he commented, taking a swig.
"This is what?" Michelle looked up.
"Team Freewill," Dean shook his head, "One ex-blood junkie, one dropout with six bucks to his name, one Hunter extraordinaire, and Mr. Comatose over there. It's awesome."
"It's not funny," Sam frowned at his brother.
"I'm not laughing," Dean countered.
Sam sighed, "They all say we'll say yes."
"I know," Dean rolled his eyes, "It's getting annoying."
"What if they're right?"
"Sam..." Michelle stood and walked to his side, putting her arm around his waist in comfort as he draped an arm around her shoulders.
"They're not," Dean insisted.
"I mean, why...why would we, either of us?" Sam agreed, "But...I've been weak before..."
"Sam..." Dean began this time.
"You're stronger now," Michelle told him, squeezing him.
"Michael got our dad to say yes," Sam reminded her, and his dad was practically the strongest person he knew.
"That was different," Michelle argued.
"Anna was about to kill mom," Dean agreed.
"And if you could save mom...what would you say?" Sam countered, looking at his brother.
Dean looked away, taking a final swig, before looking over at Michelle, "What do you know about freewill?" he asked her, trying to change the topic.
Michelle blinked, "Well...there's lots of debates about it...fate and destiny and all that. How, no matter the decisions you make, it always seems to lead to the same end," she shrugged, "Personally..." she added, seeing Dean's expression get more grim, "I think it's like that quote, 'it's not the destination, it's the journey.' You learn things along the way that might get you there on your own terms, or at least better prepare you, or even help you succeed," the boys looked down, thoughtful, both seeming to try and relate her words to their predicament with the angels, "I also think it's like what happened when we met Chuck," they looked up, confused, "Everything he saw and wrote made it seem like Sam and Lilith were about to join sides, right?" they nodded, "I told you sometimes what you see isn't exactly what's happening, Sam was trying to get Lilith to lower her guard so he could stab her. So what if Michael and Lucifer have to face each other...doesn't mean they have to fight and if they do, it doesn't mean one will literally kill the other. I mean, defeat can have hundreds of different meanings and we're talking centuries of telephone here and the Bible isn't exactly a hundred percent correct," she smiled, "For all we know, they kiss and make up."
Sam and Dean made a bit of a disgusted look and she burst out laughing, the other two joining a moment later. While her words didn't make them feel completely confident they would figure out a way to keep saying no...it did give them hope that, if the misfortune befell them where they did say yes...there was a chance they would both live to see the end of it.
A/N: Hmmm...Michael doesn't seem very...fatherly...does he? Didn't even give Michelle a second glance when she was hurt, didn't bother to step in as she was being strangled...wonder what that says about her parentage? But didn't I promise we'd find out more about her family line. Sort of explains her skills and knowledge...but I'll say this, Castiel was right, Michelle had been made a pawn in all of this long before even she is aware. I mean, if her line stretches back far enough...who's to say that all those 'million random acts of chance' didn't come about in her family as well. But in what way? I guess we'll find out, eventually :)
Though, next chapter, I LOVED writing, we find out something about Michelle and Sam's relationship that I think you'll enjoy :)
A note on a review. Yeah, Sam and Dean's line goes back too...but through Mary, not John. John clearly had no idea about hunting and taught himself when Mary died. It's like Chuck said at the convention, in that regard, they're like second generation Hunters because Mary had no hand in raising them with all her knowledge of her own family line in hunting. Michelle's father was also in the military and she started her own training in hunting when she was three, which, I think, is younger than Dean was when Azazel came for Sam. She had both parents from long lines teaching her everything they knew. I'm definitely not trying to take the awesomeness away from the Winchesters, I think they are pretty awesome. I'm sorry if it's coming across that way :( I haven't been changing much, I don't think, just adding a new perspective of a Hunter who has a better idea of what's going on than the boys.