"They've got John." I tell the boys as Meg hangs up and I do the same. I can't do anything. I just stand in the same spot, in shock. Dean walks across the room to pace as Sam stares at me.
"Meg?" He asks. I nod in confirmation of his question. "What'd she say?"
"I just told you, Sammy." I tell him solemnly.
"Okay." I hear Dean whisper loud enough for us to hear. He wipes at his face as he looks around the room. He goes over to where we have the colt and grabs it before putting it in his waistband. Then he starts packing up really quick.
"What are you doing, Dean." Sam asks.
"We gotta go." Dean answers. I see him pack up my things as well. I wish I could help, but I am still frozen in shock.
"Why?" Sam asks.
"Because the demon know's we're here." I tell him, finally getting up the courage to speak. "It knows we have the colt."
"It's got dad." Dean adds. "It's probably coming for us next." He hands me my jacket and I put it on. Then he hands me my bag, and the weight in my hands snaps me out of my shocked state.
"Good. We've still got three bullets left." Sam says. "Let it come."
"Listen, tough guy. We're not ready, okay!" Dean shouts at him. I sling my bag over my shoulder as I begin to pack Sam's belongings because he's a bit pre-occupied with arguing with Dean. "We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead."
"He's right, Sammy. We need to leave." I say as I finish packing up his things. He looks to me as I throwhis bag at him. "Now." Sam is reluctant but comes with us anyway as we burn rubber outta town. I sit back in the back seat and hope that Dean doesn't crash. I silently pray for John's safety. I'm not extremely religious, but I like to think there is a higher being of some sort.
"I'm telling you, Dean, we coulda taken 'im." Sam says, breaking my concentration.
"Him easily blinding me would say otherwise, Sammy." I tell him.
"What we need is a plan." Dean says. "They're probably keeping dad alive. We've gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun." Sam is silent, and I can tell he's angry. "What?" Dean asks him.
"If that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade." They both look at me, and I shrug my shoulders.
"They want the gun." I say. "They aren't gonna get it without a trade for John."
"We can't rely on that." Sam says. "Dad, he might be..."
"Don't-" Dean tries to stop Sam's thought.
"Look, I don't wanna believe it any more than you two." Sam says. "But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the colt. We can still finish the job."
"Screw the job, Sam!" Dean shouts at him."
"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going."
"Would you quit talking about him like he's dead already?" Dean snaps back. "Listen to me. Everything stops until we get him back. You understand me? Everything." Sam takes a few breaths before speaking again.
"So, how do we find him?" Sam asks.
"We should go to the last place we knew he was." I say. "Hit that warehouse in Lincoln. Maybe they left some sort of trail or clue to where they went."
"You really think these demonsa are gonna leave a trail?" Sam asks me.
"You're right." I admit. "We're gonna need help." Dean looks to me through the rearview mirror and I nod. "Time to go see Bobby." We reach the junk yard the next morning and Dean parks out front. We walk towards the door and I see Rumsfeld chained outside. He's sleeping up on the hood of the tow truck. As we get out and come closer he perks up. "Hey, Rummy." I say in a baby voice. "You being a good boy?"
"So much for my guard dog." I hear from the door of the house.
"Don't be so hard on him." I say to him. "He saw a familiar face he hadn't seen in a long time." I say as I walk over to him. He pulls me into a hug.
"It's nice to see you, Baby Girl." He says with a smile as he lets go of me
"It's good to see you too." He looks over my shoulder at the boys.
"Long time no see boys." He says to them. The two boys stay quiet as I roll my eyes. Bobby walks back inside the house and I wave my boys to come inside.
"Can we get something to drink?" I ask.
"Sure thing, Sunshine." Bobby says from the kitchen. I motion for Dean and Sam to go wait in one of the rooms. Bobby comes out with two flasks, and he hands one to Dean and keeps the other one. "Here you go." He tells him.
"What is this? Holy water?" Dean asks as he looks at the flask in his hand.
"That one is." Bobby tells him. He holds up the flask in his hand. "This is whiskey." He drinks from it, causing me to smile. He hands it to me and I gladly take a sip. The burn down my throat was somewhat comforting. Dean then takes the whiskey from me to take a sip as well. I shake my head and turn to Sam, looking through one of the books on the desk.
"Bobby, thanks." Dean says. "Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if we should come."
"Nonsense." Bobby says. "Your daddy needs help."
"The last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. You cocked your shotgun and everything." I giggle at Dean's words.
"Yeah, well, what can I say?" Bobby says. "John has that effect on people."
"Yeah, I guess he does." Dean agrees.
"The one you needed to worry about was yourself." Bobby says. I sigh. "What with you betraying my little girl like you did." I see Dean's face get serious.
"Bobby, now's not the time." I tell him.
"John and I did connect on that front, so maybe that's it." Bobby continues.
"Bobby!" The two of them look to me. "None of that matters now."
"You're right, pumpkin." He agrees as he addresses me with yet another pet name from my childhood. "All that matters is that you get John back." I let out a sigh as Sammy sounds from behind me.
"Bobby, this book," The three of us look to him. "I've never seen anything like it." Bobby walks over to him.
"Key of Solomon?" He says. "It's the real deal, alright."
"And these protective circles, they really work?" Sam asks.
"Hell yeah." Bobby answers. "You get a demon in one, they're trapped. They're powerless. It's like a satanic roach motel."
"The man knows his stuff." Dean says.
"Where do you think I learned all the things I know?" I ask as he comes closer to me.
"I'll tell ya somethin' else, too." Bobby says. "This is serious crap you three stepped in."
"Oh yeah?" Sam says. "How's that?"
"Normal year, I hear say, three demonic possessions, maybe four tops." Bobby explains.
"Yeah?" Dean asks.
"This year, I heard of twenty seven so far. You get what I'm sayin'?" Bobby asks. "More and more demons are walking amung us, a lot more."
"Do you know why?" Sam asks.
"No," Bobby answers. "But I know it's something storm's coming, and you three, your daddy...You are smack in the middle of it." Suddenly we hear the dog begin to bark outside. "Rumsfeld." He says as he turns in panic to the front door. The barking quickly stopped with a god awful noise and I feel loss again in the pit of my stomach. I know that poor dog has met his demise, and it stinks because he was my little protector when I was pregnant. Bobby looks through the blinds of the front window. "Somethin's wrong." He says before someone breaks open the front door. All of us look to see Meg. She looks at the four of us as she walks in.
"No more crap, okay?" She says. Dean walks towards her before she waves her arm, sending him flying back into a pile of books.
"Dean!" I shout. Sam tries to stop me from running to him, but I break away. I crouch down by him and see he's unconscious.
"I want the Colt, Sam...the real Colt...right now." I hear Meg say.
"Get up." I whisper to Dean as he continues to just lay there. I lightly slap his cheeks to try and wake him.
"We don't have it on us." Sam tells her. "We buried it."
"Didn't I say, 'no more crap'?" Meg asks. "I swear, after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I've got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed." I look up at Sam and Bobby slowly backing up, leading her right where we want her. "First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two chuckleheads and Slugger." I stand up as I watch her walk into the circle on the ceiling. "I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" I feel Dean finally get up and stand next to me. I look at him and smile and we both walk up behind her.
"Actually," Dean says. "We were counting on it." Meg turns to look at us and I look up and smile at the ceiling. I look back to her and she meets my gaze.
"Gotcha." I say to the demon bitch.
We've set up Meg in a chair, and made sure that she wouldn't get up.
"You know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask." Meg says. I roll my eyes as I cross my arms in front of me. Bobby comes in with a can of gasoline.
"I salted the doors and windows." He informs us. "If there are any demons out there, they ain't gettin' in." Silence falls only for a few seconds. I exchange looks with my boys and pat Dean on the shoulder.
"You're up." I tell him. He nods his head and stands in front of the demon forced to sit in the circle.
"Where's our father, Meg?" He asks her.
"You didn't ask very nice." She retorts.
"Fine, where's John, Bitch?" I ask from behind Dean. She turned to look at me.
"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth?" She asks and I immediately glare at her. "Oh, I forgot. You don't."
"Hey!" Dean yells to get her attention back to him. "You think this is a freakin' game?! Where is he?! What did you do to him?!"
"He died screaming." She answers. "I killed him myself." There's a pause before he backhands her. I flinch a little. I know he would never do that to me, and I wouldn't let him. Plus, Bobby would kill him if he even thought about hurting me again. "That's kind of a turn-on...you hitting a girl." She glanced at me briefly as she spoke.
"You're no girl." Dean replies. Bobby stands from his sitting position. He gently squeezes my shoulder as he goes by.
"Dean." He says as he guides me to the next room. the boys follow us.
"You okay?" Sam asks him.
"She's lying he's not dead." Dean answers.
"Dean, you've gotta be careful with her. Don't hurt her." Bobby tells him.
"Why?" He asks.
"Because she really is a girl. That's why." Bobby answers.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asks.
"She's possessed." Bobby tells them. "That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?"
"You're trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?" Dean asks.
"That's exactly what he's saying." I confirm. We all look at her before Dean speaks.
"That's actually good news." He goes to get everything we'll need, including Bobby's journal, to release this girl from the grips of the demon. I stand back by the wall as Dean and Sam circle Meg. Bobby goes to the window.
"Are you gonna read me a story?" She asks.
"Something like that." I say.
"Hit it, Sam." Dean tells his brother. Sam starts reading the Latin written on the pages.
"Regna Terrae, contate deo, psallite domino..." He continues as Meg starts talking to us.
"An exorcism? Are you serious?" She says to Dean.
"We're going for it, baby." He tells her. "Head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards." Sam finishes a sentence and pauses. Meg groans in what looks like pain before turning to look at Sam.
"I'm gonna kill you." She tells him. Then she turns to Dean. "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."
"No, you're gonna burn in hell," Dean says. "Unless you tell us where our dad is." We pause to give her a chance to answer us. "Well, at least you'll get a nice tan."
"Sam." I say, urging him to continue his reading.
"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus," Sam starts up again. "Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursion infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregation et secta diabolica." I watch Meg as she shakes, possibly trying to hold onto this poor girl's body for dear life.
"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes." She tells us. "He begged to see his sons one last time." She shifts her gaze to me. "He begged to see the mother of his dead grandchild, too." I glare at her. "That's when I slit his throat." She seethes before breathing heavily. I feel Bobby's eyes on me as Sam begins reading again.
"Ergo..." I look to Bobby and nod to him, letting him know I'm okay before turning back to the demon in the chair.
"For your sake, I hope you're lying." Dean says to her. "'Cause if it's true, I swear to God. I will march into hell myself, and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me God."
"Perditionis venenum propinare." Sam's words come into focus again. "Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae," Pages in books across the room start flipping, but Sam continues reading. "Hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei, contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine, quem inferi tremunt."
"Aah!" Meg lets out a shout.
"Where is he?" Dean asks as he circles her.
"You just won't take 'dead' for an answer, will you?" She answers. I won't believe her words until I see them confirmed with my own eyes. John is one of the strongest men I know.
"Where is he?" Dean asks, more violently this time.
"Dead!" She yells out.
"No, he's not!" Dean yells back. "He is not dead! He can't be!" Sam and I look at each other a bit nervous that what Meg is telling us might be the truth. I know demons lie, but she's about to get kicked from her ride. Both of us look to Dean, and I can see rage written all over his face.
"What are you lookin' at?" Dean says to Sam. "Keep reading."
"Ab insidiis diabolic, libera nos, domine." Sam starts up again. "Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos." Meg shouts out in pain again as she moves her chair in the circle. "Ut inimicus sanctae ecclesiae humiliare digneris," the chair continues to move around as Sam continues his reading. "Te rogamus audi-"
"He will be!" She shouts over Sam's voice." Her words grab my attention.
"Wait!" I shout to stop Sam. "What?!" I ask her as I walk towards the circle where Meg is seated.
"He's not dead." She breathes heavily. "But he will be after what we do to him." She looks around at the three of us.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Dean asks her.
"You don't." She answers.
"Sam!" Dean shouts to have him start reading again, but Meg says something else to stop him.
"A building!" She shouts. "Okay? A building in Jefferson City."
"Missouri?" Dean asks. "Where, where? An address."
"I don't know." She sounds like she's about to cry.
"And the demon, the one we're looking for. Where is it?" Sam asks her.
"I don't know, I swear." She says. "That's everything. That's all I know." She breathes heavily as Sam and I look to Dean to see what the plan is now.
"Finish it." He says. I let out a sigh and step back. It has to be done. This demon can't be let loose back into the world.
"What?" Meg asks. "I told you the truth."
"I don't care." Dean says.
"You son of a bitch. You promised." She says.
"I lied!" Dean shouts at her. "Sam?" There is a pause before he looks up at the youngest Winchester. I know he's having a dilemma right now, but this is no time to go soft. "Sam!" He pauses again.
"Keep reading, Sammy." I say. He turns to look at me. "We gotta free that girl in there."
"We can still use her, to find out where the demon is." Sam says to me.
"She doesn't know!" Dean shouts.
"She lied!" Sam shouts back.
"Sammy, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there, and we've gotta help her." I tell him. Bobby comes closer to us.
"You're gonna kill her." He says, looking to me then the boys.
"What?" Dean asks.
"You said she fell from a building." He reminds us. He looks to her then back at us. "That girl's body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside." I cross my arms and look to the floor. I know he's right, but I would feel awful letting her stay in this girl's body. "You exorcise it, the girl is gonna die."
"Listen to me, both of you, we are not gonna leave her like that." Dean tells them.
"She is a human being." Bobby says.
"And we're gonna put her out of her misery." Dean says.
"It's what I would want if I was in that situation." I say. All three of them look at me. "Finish it, Sammy." I tell him. He pauses. "Please." I beg him. He takes a breath before beginning to read again.
"Dominicos sanctae eccliae. Terogamus audi nos." Meg starts breathing heavily as Sam continues reading. "Trribilis deus de sanctuario suo deus israhel," Meg opens her eyes and looking back at us are black orbs of the demon. "Ipse tribuite virtutem et fortitudinem plebe sue." She tries to pull at the binding on her wrists. "Benedictus deus. Gloria patri." As soon as Sam finishes Meg lets out a scream and black smoke escapes her mouth. Once the smoke has vanished the girl's body goes slack. I look around at the boys before walking forward. I take a deep breathe before I step within the circle and crouch down to see if she's still alive. I gasp as she tries to move and breathe. She lifts her head a little and I can see blood pouring from her mouth.
"She's still alive." I tell them.
"Call 911. Get some water and blankets." Dean says. Bobby heads to the phone as I begin to undo the binds on her wrists. Dean and Sam also help me.
"Thank you." She says just above a whisper. It's probably all she can muster.
"Shh, shh." I try to soothe her. "Just take it easy. You're safe now."
"Thank you." She says again.
"Shh." I repeat.
"Come on, let's get her down." Dean says. The boys help her out of the chair, trying not to hurt her. As they lift her, the cracking of bones can be heard and I cringe with each shout of pain she emits.
"Sorry, sorry." Dean says. They move her to the ground and lay her on her back.
"I've got 'cha. I've got 'cha." I hear Sam whisper to her. "It's okay. It's okay." They finally set her fully on the ground.
"A year." She strains to talk.
"What?" Sam asks.
"It's been a year." She answers.
"Shh, shh, just take it easy." Sam tells her.
"I've been awake for some of it." She continues anyway. "I couldn't move my own body. The things I did...It's a nightmare."
"Was it telling us the truth about our dad?" Dean asks her.
"Dean." I softly scold him.
"We need to know." He replies.
"Yes." She answers. "But it wants...you to know...that...they want you to come for him."
"If dad's still alive, none of that matters." Dean says. Bobby comes in with water and a blanket for her. Dean helps her drink some of the water as Bobby and Sam get her covered up with the blanket.
"Where is the demon we're looking for?" Sam asks her.
"Not there." She answers. "Other ones. Awful ones."
"Where are they keeping our dad?" Dean asks.
"By the r-river." She stutters. "S-s-sunrise." I can tell she's close to leaving this world and I begin to feel tears prick at my eyes.
"'Sunrise'? What does that mean?" Dean asks. She says nothing. "What does that mean?" Again she doesn't answer. I let out a couple tears and silently pray for her to be sent to the better place and not where we just sent the demon. I walk outside to get some air as the boys just look to each other in shock. I lean against the impala, letting the tears fall. That poor girl had to deal with that thing inside her for a year. In that pain and agony for a whole year. I look to the ground and my tears fall to the dry dirt. A pair of shoes walk up and stand in front of me before I'm pulled into his chest. I wrap my arms around his torso.
"Everything's gonna be alright, babe." I hear him say as he rubs my back.
"You don't know that." I say into his shoulder.
"You're right." He says as he pushes me away and holds me at arms length. "But we're gonna try and make it that way if it kills us." He smiles sadly. He wipes away my tears with his thumbs before bringing me into a kiss.
"Alright, love birds." I hear from the door of Bobby's house. We break apart at look to my surrogate dad. "You three have places to be, and it's not here." I nod as I open the back seat of the car and then turn back to Bobby.
"Stay safe." I tell him.
"You too, Baby Girl." He says. With that, I get in and we drive off. We stop in an open area by an unfinished bridge to get ready for what's about to come. Dean starts checking all of our weapons and Sam starts studying the book Bobby gave him. I lay down in the back seat with the driver's side door open and my legs hanging out of it. I have my eyes closed, mouthing prayers to whomever was listening. I pray for protection, and success in our mission.
"You two have been quiet." Sam says to us.
"Just getting ready." Dean says.
"Me too." I say, eyes still closed.
"How is laying down with your eyes closed, getting ready?" Dean asks with a smile.
"Having a little bit of spiritual protection wouldn't hurt." I answer. Dean scoffs at my words.
"He's gonna be fine." Sam tells us.
"How can you believe in a higher power with all the things we've seen and been through?" Dean asks me, ignoring Sam.
"If demons exist, then a higher power exists." I answer him as I open my eyes. "Things in the world should be balanced. Even in the supernatural world." I sit up and get out of the car. Dean shakes his head as Sam turns another page in the book in front of him. I look to him and see his face show some interest in the page. "What is it, Sammy?" I ask him. He goes over to the open trunk of the impala and starts drawing on it with a white pencil. Dean catches his actions and instantly grows angry.
"Dude, what are you drawing on my car?" He asks as he goes to look at what Sam is doing.
"It's called a devil's trap." Sam says. "Demons can't get through it or inside it." I nod in understanding.
"So?" Dean asks. I chuckle, causing him to look over at me. "What?"
"It'll turn the trunk into a lockbox." I tell him as Sam comes over to my side to draw the same symbol on the other side of the trunk.
"So?" Dean repeats.
"Oh my God, Dean." I say as I roll my eyes.
"We have a place to hide the colt while we go get dad." Sam says.
"What are you talking about?" Dean asks. "We're bringing the colt with us."
"We can't, Dean." Sam tells him. "We've only got three bullets left. We can't just use them on any demon. We've gotta use them on the demon."
"No, we have to save dad, Sam, okay?" Dean says. "We're gonna need all the help we can get."
"John will be pissed if we use those bullets for anything but killing that demon, Dean." I say. "He wouldn't want us to bring it."
"I don't care, Shelby!" He shouts at me. "I don't care what dad wants, okay?" Then he turns to Sam. "And since when do you care what dad wants?"
"We wanna kill this demon." Sam says. "You used to want that, too. Hell, I mean, you're the one who came and got me at school! You're the one who dragged me back into this, Dean! I'm just trying to finish it!" Dean pauses before replying.
"Well, you and dad are more alike than I thought, you know that?" Dean points out. "You both can't wait to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But you know what? I'm gonna be the one to bury you." I roll my eyes, but I understand where he's coming from. "You're selfish, you know that? You don't care about anything but revenge."
"That's not true, Dean." I tell him as he scoffs. I feel like I'm caught in the middle of these two
"I want dad back," Sam says. "But they are expecting us to bring this gun. They get the gun, they will kill us all. That colt is our only leverage, and you know it, Dean. We cannot bring that gun. We can't."
"Fine." Dean says.
"I'm serious, Dean."
"I said 'fine', Sam." Dean repeats as he takes the colt from his jacket and places it in the trunk reluctantly. Sam walks around Dean, and I walk up to him. I put a hand on his arm, but he shrugs it off and grabs the bag we're taking. It has all the supplies we'll need to get John back.
We walk into Jefferson City and Dean see's something.
"Hey, hey." He says as he gets our attention. "I think I know what Meg meant by 'sunrise'." Sam and I follow his gaze to a sign that says 'Sunrise Apartments'. There are some kids playing outside. "Son of a bitch. That's pretty smart." Dean then turns to us. "I mean, if these demons can possess people, they can possess almost anybody inside."
"Yeah, and make anybody attack us." Sam agrees.
"So we can't kill 'em." I say. "It's a building filled with human shields."
"They probably know exactly what we look like, too," Sam says. "And they could look like anybody."
"Yeah, this sucks out loud." Dean says as he looks around.
"Yeah, alright, so, how the hell are we gonna get in?" Sam asks. I think for a minute.
"We could pull the fire alarm." I throw out there. "It would get everybody out."
"Yeah, but then the city responds in, what, seven minutes." Sam points out.
"Seven minutes, exactly." Dean confirms.
"Alright, so, who's gonna go pull the alarm?" I ask. We look around at each other before Dean and I both stare at Sam. "You're up, Sammy." He rolls his eyes before pushing past us and heading into the building. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, mouthing a prayer once again.
"Since when are you so religious?" Dean asks me. I open my eyes and look at him.
"Since always, Dean." I answer. "I know you aren't, but I just think that the chance of a little more help wouldn't hurt." That's when we hear the fire alarm going off. We wait for the fire engines arrive before walking up to one of the firemen.
"Hey, what's happening? Is it a fire?" Dean asks him.
"We're figuring that out right now, sir." The fireman answers. "Just stay back." He starts guiding us away.
"My Yorkie, Baby, is upstairs." I say, acting as convincingly nervous as I could. "And he pees when he's nervous."
"Ma'am, sir, you have to stay back." The fireman repeats. I look past him to see Sam next to one of the fire engines.
"Ma'am?" I question looking to Dean. "Do I look like a ma'am?" I ask, getting angry now.
"Babe, just calm down." Dean chuckles. "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way." Then he looks to the fireman. "Did you?" This time Dean seems to be threatening the man.
"Of course not." The man says. "Just, please, stay back." We nod to him and back into the crowd. Then, we meet up with Sam who has three fire suit jackets oxygen tanks and helmets. We empty the oxygen tanks and end up putting holy water in them. Then we attach a hose and high tech water gun to them. We get geared up before walking into the building with no problem. Sam ends up carrying the bag and Dean and I handle the EMF detectors. We start walking through the halls checking each door. On the third floor Dean starts talking.
"I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." He says through the oxygen mask. I'm a little taken aback by his words.
"You never told me that." Sam says.
"Yeah, me either." I add. That's when the device in Dean's hand starts going off. Dean bangs on the door. With no answer, he bangs on the door again.
"This is the fire department. We need you to evacuate." Dean says through the mask. There is no answer only the sound of the door being unlocked, so we burst in and start spraying the people with our improvised holy water. They were hurt by the water, so we continue until both of them are on the ground. Once we run out of water the boys attack them and I go ahead and look for John in the apartment. I take off the helmet and go to the bedroom. I see John tied to the bed.
"Shit." I say to myself as I take off the fireman's jacket as quickly as possible. Once it's off, I rush to the bed. I don't try to untie him yet because I don't know the full situation. The boys come in as I get to the bed.
"Dad." I hear Dean say. I put two fingers to his neck to feel for a pulse. I also lean close to his mouth to see if he's breathing. I hear him breathing faintly.
"He's still breathing." I tell the boys. Dean goes to the other side of the bed.
"Dad, wake up." He says as he shakes the man laying on the bed before us. "Dad!" He says a little more urgently. With no response, Dean takes out a knife and starts to cut at the bindings on John's wrist.
"Wait, wait." Sam says to stop him.
"What?" Dean looks up at his brother.
"He could be possessed, Dean." I tell him. "If we weren't dealing with demons I'd have cut him loose before you two even came into the room."
"What, are you nuts?" Dean asks.
"She's right." Sam agrees from the foot of the bed. "We gotta be sure." He reaches into the bag and pulls out a flask of holy water. He unscrews the cap and takes a deep breath before splashing some on his face and chest. He starts to stir, but no violent reactions. The first person he sees is Sam at the foot of the bed.
"Sam?" He asks groggily. "Why are you splashing water on me?" A smile grows on my face as I let out a breath of relief.
"Dad, are you okay?" Dean asks.
"They've been druggin' me." He answers. He takes a few breaths before continuing. "Where's the colt?"
"Don't worry, dad, its safe." Sam answers him. I take out my own knife and start cutting at the bindings on John's wrist and ankle. Dean does the same.
"Good, boys. Good, boys." John says.
"Hey, I'm here too, Old Man." I smile at him, and he smiles back. Once we get him free, Sam hands me the bag and the boys carry him. I leave the room ahead of them only to see the door to the apartment be broken down. "Back, back." I tell the boys, and they turn around to head back into the bedroom. I close the door and lock it, but it doesn't help much when one of them has an axe. As the door is being hacked at the boys head to the window with John. I quickly pull out the salt from the bag and pour a line in front of the door.
"Shelby, let's go!" I hear Dean shout at me from the window. I toss him the bag and climb out the window before turning around and making a salt line on the window sill. Once that's done I run down the fire escape after the boys. I climb down the ladder to the ground and Dean makes sure I don't fall. I grab the bag and Dean helps John to stand again. I don't know where Sam is until he gets tackled by a man possessed by a demon. I hear the scuffle and Dean sets down John by a wall. "Stay with him!" He shouts to me before heading over to help Sam. His rescue mission doesn't last long because the demon sends him flying back into a car windshield.
"Fuck." I curse to myself. I move to help, but John stops me by holding onto my upper arm. Suddenly a shot rings out and John and I look to see that Dean has just shot the demon in the head. As the demon falls I start getting pissed off. "What the fuck, Dean!?" I shout. He just ignores me and goes over to see if Sam is okay. I storm over as he picks his brother off the ground. "Why would you bring that thing with us?" I ask. "This was not part of the plan."
"We can talk about this later, Babe?" He asks me. We hear sirens wail. "Take him." He says, handing Sam to me. "I'll go get dad." I huff in annoyance as I put Sam's arm over my shoulder and help him stay standing.
We find shelter in an abandoned house. Dean brings John to the bedroom as Sam and I salt the doors and windows. When Dean comes out to the main area I turn to look at him with concern.
"How is he?" I ask.
"He just needs a little rest, that's all." He answers before turning to Sam. "How are you, Sam?"
"I'll survive." The youngest Winchester answers. I go back to making sure that I didn't miss a door or window or crack with the salt. You can never be too careful. "Hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?"
"I don't know." Dean answers. "I don't think so. I mean, we couldn't have found a more out-of-the-way place to hole up."
"Yeah." Sam breathes. Silence envelopes the room as I turn around and set the empty salt tin on a nearby table. "Hey, uh...Dean, you, um...you saved my life back there." Sam says. As much as I didn't like that Dean used the colt for a lowly demon, he did save Sam. I have to be thankful for that.
"so I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?" Dean says with the start of a smirk and I roll my eyes.
"Man, I'm tryin' to thank you here." Sam tells him.
"You're welcome." Dean responds. Sam walks across the room, but I continue to keep my eyes glued to Dean. His expression changes to one of almost regret. "Hey, Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"You know that guy I shot?" He asks. "There was a person in there."
"And?" I ask as I walk closer to him. "You didn't have a choice, Dean. He was gonna kill Sammy."
"I know." He says. "That's not what bothers me."
"Then what's wrong?" I ask, finally reaching him and placing a hand on his back.
"Killing that guy, killing Meg." He says. "I didn't hesitate. I didn't flinch. For you two or dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh..." He chuckles a bit as I try to rub his back in a consoling manner. "It scares me sometimes." My hand then goes to the back of his neck and continuing to try and make him feel better.
"It shouldn't." A deep voice says from the doorway of the bedroom. All three of us look up at him. "You did good."
"You're not mad?" Dean asks John.
"For what?" John asks.
"Using a bullet." Dean reminds him.
"Mad?" John slightly shakes his head. "I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, even Slugger sometimes, we can get pretty obsessed." I nod at his words. "But you, you...you watch out for this family. You always have." I'm happy that John is saying these words, but I feel like something's a bit off with him.
"Thanks." Dean says. Suddenly there is a rumbling and the lights flicker. I hear the winds pick up too. John goes over to one of the windows and we follow him.
"It found us." He tells us. "It's here."
"The demon?" Sam and I ask at the same time.
"Sam, Shel, lines of salt in front of every window, every door." John orders.
"We already did that." Sam tells him.
"Well, check it, okay?" He says.
"Okay." Sam says and I nod before going around the house to make sure we actually got every door and window.
"Dean, you got the gun?" John asks.
"Yeah." Dean answers.
"Give it to me." I pause at his words and look to the two of them by the window.
"Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation and it vanished." Dean tells him.
"This is me, I won't miss." John tells him. I have a gut feeling that something's wrong with John. "Now, the gun. Hurry." I walk up behind Dean and put a hand on his back to let him know I'm here. Dean looks down at the colt in his hand before looking back to John. "Son, please." I grab onto Dean's shirt and slowly walk backwards. "Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?"
"You'd be furious." Dean says.
"What?" John asks
"That I wasted a bullet." He continues. "Hell, Shelby was more upset about it than you were. He wouldn't be proud of me. He'd rip me a new one." Dean raises the colt to aim it at John. "You're not my dad." He says after cocking it.
"Dean, it's me." John says.
"I know my dad better than anyone." Dean says. "And you ain't him."
"What the hell's gotten into you?" John asks. "Shel, what's wrong with him?"
"We could ask you the same question." I say from behind Dean, still.
"Stay back." Dean tells him. Sam comes back to us and is surprised at the situation.
"Dean?" He asks. "What the hell's going on?"
"Shelby and your brother have lost their minds." John answers.
"He's not dad." Dean explains to Sam.
"What?" Sam asks.
"I think he's possessed." Dean elaborates for Sam.
"I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." I add.
"Don't listen to 'em, Sammy." John tells him.
"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asks.
"H-he's different." Dean answers.
"You know, we don't have time for this." John says. "Sam, if you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me." I look over to Sam as he looks at us. "Sam?" He looks between us and John.
"No." Sam says. "No." Sam slowly walks over to us and I grab his wrist to pull him behind me.
"Fine." John says. "If you three are so sure. Go ahead. Kill me." There is some emotion in his voice, but I still think he isn't John. Dean doesn't shoot him, but he doesn't lower the gun either. "I thought so." The tone of John's voice changes, and now I am completely sure that is not John Winchester. When he lifts his head I see those horrible yellow eyes that have haunted my dreams. Immediately, Sam is tossed into and stuck to the wall, then Dean and me. Dean drops the colt. Yellow eyes bore into me until I can see nothing. I scream in fear of what is going to happen. What will he do? "What a pain in the ass this thing's been." I hear John's voice. He must be talking about the colt.
"It's you isn't it?" Sam asks.
"Of course it is, Sam." I say, trying to slow down my breathing.
"We've been looking for you for a long time." Sam tells him.
"What took you so long?" John's voice asks. I can hear him smiling. "I've been invading little Shelby's dreams for a while now. But, you finally found me."
"Why didn't the holy water work?" I ask.
"Oh, come on, Slugger, you think something like that works on something like me?" I hear Sam grunt, probably trying to get off the wall to charge at the demon.
"I'm gonna kill you." Sam tells him.
"Oh, that would be a neat trick." The demon replies. "In fact, here. Make the gun float to you there, psychic boy." There's a pause before he chuckles. I hear his steps coming towards me. "Well, this is fun. I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this..." He lets out a breath. "This is worth the wait." He touches my cheek and I flinch away.
"Get away from her!" I hear Dean yell before grunting.
"Your dad...he's in here with me," He taunts as he turns away from me. "Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says 'hi', by the way. He's gonna tear you apart...He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."
"Let 'im go." I hear Dean say softly. "Or I swear to God-"
"What? What are you and God gonna do?" The demon asks. "You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." Where is he? Fuck, why can't I catch my breath? I need to see! "You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."
"So the demon apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I try to get him away from the boys and paying attention to me. But, he just ignores me.
"The one in the alley?...That was my boy...You understand?" The demon says.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Dean whispers.
"What? You're the only one that can have a family? You destroyed my children." He says. "How would you feel if I killed your family?...Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did." Now I'm getting pissed. I try to break away from the wall only to be slammed back into it. "Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch." Dean says.
"I wanna know why." Sammy says. "Why'd you do it?"
"You mean, why'd I kill mommy and pretty, little Jess?"
"Yeah." Sam confirms.
"You know, I never told you this, but Sam was gonna ask her to marry him." My breath hitches as he continues. "Been shopping for rings and everything." He walks over to, I assume, Sam. "You wanna know why?...Because they got in the way." At those words I feel tears coming to my eyes. I hold in a sob.
"In the way of what?" Sam asks.
"My plans for you, Sammy..." He says. "You...and all the children like you...Isn't that right Shelby?" I close my eyes to focus on not showing my true emotions right now. "You would have been an uncle if it weren't for me." He chuckles. "Your dad would have been a grandpa."
"Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh? 'Cause I really can't stand the monologuing." Dean says.
"Funny," The demon reacts. "But that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Mask all that nasty pain, mask the truth."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Dean asks.
"You know, you fight, and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don't need you." He says. "Not like you need them. Sam...He's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight, it's more concern than he's ever shown you. And Shelby, well, she's the daughter he never had."
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh?" Dean says. "Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." There's a long pause before I hear Dean shout out in pain.
"Dean!" Sam and I shout out. I hear Dean moaning in pain.
"No!" Sam shouts.
"Leave him alone!" I scream. I can't do anything as his pained cries continue. I finally let out a sob I've been holding in, and tears make their way down my cheeks. "Stop it!"
"Dad!" Dean yells. "Dad, don't you let it kill me!" He only grunts in pain again.
"Dean!" Sam shouts. I just scream at the situation. Make it stop! Please, I'll do anything! I say in my head. I hear Sam grunting, then Dean's grunts subside and I start balling. I can't stop the cries from coming out of my mouth. "Dean! No!"
"Stop." I hear John say. It's the real John, I can feel it. "Stop it." I drop to the floor as I gain my sight back. I look around the room and see Dean still pushed against the wall. Sam runs over to the table to grab the colt and aims it at John. When he turns around Yellow Eyes has taken back control.
"You kill me, you kill daddy." He says in John's voice.
"I know." Sam says before aiming the gun at John's knee and shooting. John falls to the ground and then Dean's body falls to the ground, limp. I rush over as he gasps for air. I cradle his head in my lap.
"Dean? Dean? Hey, baby." I say as I stroke his hair.
"Oh, God. You lost a lot of blood." Sam says as he comes over to us.
"Where's dad?" Dean asks. I look over to the other man on the ground.
"He's right here." Sam says. "He's right here, Dean."
"Go check on him, Sammy." I tell him. Sam nods to me and goes over to check on John.
"Dad?" I hear him ask. "Dad?"
"Sammy!" John shouts, making me jump a little. "It's still alive. It's inside me. I can feel it. You shoot me." My head snaps up to look at him. "You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son! Do it, now!"
"Sam, don't you do it." Dean says. "Don't you do it."
"Shh." I tell him as I try to hold back tears.
"You gotta hurry." John tells him. "I can't hold onto it much longer. You shoot me, son! Shoot me! Son, I'm beggin' you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"
"Sam, no." Dean says.
"You do this!" John shouts. "Sammy!" Sam lowers the gun. "Sam, Sam..." Suddenly, black smoke pours out of his mouth, just like with Meg. The smoke seeps through the floor, and I sigh in relief. This is not over by a long shot, but at least it's over for now. Dean goes completely limp with his eyes closed.
"No, no, no, Dean! Wake up!" I slap him lightly on the face. "Fuck! We need to get to a hospital, now!" I shout.
"Alright, I'll grab Dean. You help dad." Sam says as he runs over to me. I stand up and run over to John to help him to his feet. He's exhausted and limping, but it's better than the limp weight of Dean's body. I load John into the font passenger seat of the Impala and get into the back seat. Sam then comes out and lays Dean across the back seat with his head resting on my lap. Quickly, he runs to the driver's seat and starts up the car. I'm quiet as I run my fingers through Dean's short hair. I close my eyes and pray for him to live. I feel tears escape my eyes as I block out everything else in the world. Please, let him live. I'd be lost without him.
Out of nowhere, a semi truck crashes into us. It pushes us for a long time. When we stop, the door opens. Because I hadn't put my seatbelt on in my hurry to leave, I am thrown from the car. I look back at the car and gasp for breath. I can't catch my breath. The boys are still in the car, but they aren't moving. Everything starts to go black as I reach for the car. Then everything goes black.
A/N: Ahhh! I finished Season 1. What do you think about the ending? I have a general plan of where things are going with Shelby. I'll just have to take it episode by episode with this story. Thank you all for reading, and for hanging in there with my sporadic updates. I cannot promise I will be better with the updates, but I can promise that I will be continuing this story. Again, thank you for reading and I can't wait to read your reviews/comments.