(A few things I forgot to address last chapter. I changed Jeremy Frost into a horror film fanatic because in the show he was possibly the most forgettable villain in the entire series. I made this into a two parter because the last chapter was long enough.)
"Bela!" Dean shouted as she was pulled inside a room and the door slammed shut. Dean grabbed the handle but it was locked. He tried kicking it down but that wasn't working either. In his panic, he forgot that he was in a dream and conjured himself a crowbar.
"Dean!" Sam shouted behind him. He turned to see Jeremy standing a few doors down in the hallways with a smirk on his face. With a movement of his hand, Dean found himself flying through the air and crashed into a door. It opened from the impact and Dean rolled right inside. He could hear the door slam shut behind him as he lay on the floor moaning in pain. Forcing himself up, he turned around to see the door was just gone. Replaced by a brick wall. "Son of a bitch!"
"Dean!" a familiar voice shouted behind him. Dean was horrified as he turned to see it was exactly who it sounded like. Standing in the middle of the hotel room was John Winchester, Dean's father. "What have you done?" he demanded.
"Just the two of us now," Jeremy mocked Sam in open hallways. "Let's take this outside." With a snap of his fingers, the whole hallway began to shift and change back into the street of the empty city they all started in. It was unnerving to Sam to see just how powerful Jeremy was. While Dean, Bela, and Sam were just starting to conjure things up, Jeremy was changing entire landscapes. If that wasn't bad enough, Sam was going to have to face him alone.
"Do you have any idea what it's like to have this kind of power? I was a nobody my entire life. My dad smashed a baseball bat over my head because he didn't win the lottery. My mother always blamed me for antagonizing him. Being alive antagonized him!" Jeremey snapped. Sam let him rant on while he tried to think of something to do. "Even after he died I still felt helpless. I was pushed around at school, my minimum wage part time jobs, I could barely get financial aid to pay my tuition. On top of all that, I haven't dreamed since I was ten. It was the one thing I could escape my hell into something better if only for a while and my son of a bitch father took that from me too."
"So what this is all payback for you because your life sucks you psycho?" spat Sam.
"Damn right it is! People in power just love pushing the plebs beneath them just for fun. Well guess who has the power now?" laughed Jeremy.
"People like Dr. Greg? The man helps you dream once again and you kill him?" asked Sam.
"He took the plant away from me! I pleaded with him to let me keep taking it but he wouldn't listen. All he had to do was just give me the ones he grew and I would have left him alone. I even told him to try the plant himself and enjoy like I did but he kept spouting on about how people shouldn't have this kind of power. So like any annoying bug I squashed him. Literally, in his dream I killed him by dropping a building on top of him," laughed Jeremy.
"Yeah well we're not going to be so easy," said Sam. He summoned a P90 machine gun into his hands and fired away. The concrete on the sidewalk in front of Jeremy shot up and harmlessly blocked all the bullets. The gun suddenly disappeared from Sam's hands. Apparently Jeremy could manipulate the dream world better than he could.
Bela regained consciousness on a wooden floor. At first she didn't want to get up with how bad her headache was until she remembered getting yanked through that door in the hallway with the Winchesters. She sprang to her feet to see she was in some kind of bedroom that seemed familiar. There were no pictures on the red wallpaper but the bed and nearby desk with a mirror looked like…oh God. It was Bela's room when she was a child. The room where her father…
A knock on the door startled her. The knob turned and slowly opened to reveal her father with that same look he had whenever he came into her room. "Hey princess," he smiled at her.
"I asked you a question Dean now answer me boy," John demanded. Dean knew this was a dream and something probably conjured up by Jeremy but damn it was convincing. The thought that anything, even something in a dream that impersonation his father was almost infuriating. Dean was sure to make Jeremy die a little more painful for this.
"Let's get one thing straight here. You're not my dad. Hell you're not even real. All I have to do is snap my finger and you go poof," replied Dean before snapping his fingers. Strangely enough, John was still standing there like nothing happened. Dean willed him to disappear but it obviously didn't work. Did not try hard enough? He tried again but it was the same result.
"I'm not going anywhere Dean and neither are you," John said firmly, revealing he was holding a sawed-off double barrel shotgun.
"You talk like you three are some A-Team that has a chance. You, Dean, and Abby are so messed up in the head it's wonder you're able to accomplish anything," Jeremy laughed and enjoyed the look of confusion on Sam's face. "Oh that's right you didn't know Bela's real name did you? Turns out if you take enough of the dream root, you can do more than just manipulate people's dreams. You can access their memories as well. It's kinda weird though. You have to be in their dreams for you to know everything because the moment you wake up, it's like the information just disappear from your brain. But I'm getting stronger. Now I can access the memories of more than just the dreamer I'm in but the people who are dream walking too."
Sam was getting more and more nervous as the conversation went on. He was trying to think of something or anything that could but he was drawing a blank. Jeremy strolled calmly towards a nearby building. "All those people who thought they could step on me. My classmates, my teachers, my employers, soon enough I'm going to show them what a real god can do."
"So that's what this is all about? Daddy made you felt insecure about your manhood and now you take it out on everyone else? I take it all back. You're not a psycho. You're just pathetic," spat Sam.
Jeremy glared at him with pure anger in his eyes. "Timber," he replied. He tapped a point on the wall of the building he was next to. Within seconds, cracks spread out from where he touched all along the entire structure. Then it started teetering over in Sam's direction. Sam took off running towards a nearby alley as the building came crashing down. A cloud of dust and plaster from the resulting collapse enveloped him into total darkness.
Bela backed up into a corner. Memories of this nightmare came flashing back. At first Father would touch her shoulder a little too long then he started to touch her leg and then other places. Bela thought it couldn't get any worse but it did. The things she endured and no one believed her. Bela told her mother but she only slapped her, yelling at her not to lie about her father like that. If the maids knew or had a clue, they certainly didn't say anything. Bela even once ran away and the officer who later picked up didn't believe her when he brought her back. That was when she knew that nobody was going to help her. At least until the demon showed up but that was only trading one hell for another.
"Sweetheart don't be like that. It's not like we haven't done this before," Father told her as he stepped closer.
"You're not real. You're dead," Bela quivered.
"Death is nothing but a transition of the soul from one plane to another. And we both know where yours' is going," Father smiled. Bela looked around for any possible way out but there wasn't even a door anymore, just a bricked up wall where it was supposed to be. "It really wasn't my fault princess. A man has needs and sometimes the urges get too much to handle. You were so pretty when you were growing up. I tried to fight it but it just got worse the older you got. Eventually I just couldn't help myself but it wasn't that bad. It didn't feel wrong for me so it couldn't have been so bad for you."
The thought of this bastard blaming her for his own sick fantasies made Bela want to kill him again. Father took another step closer. "If you'd just wait I would have gotten bored of you. In a couple of years, you would have been too old for me but you just couldn't. Now you're going to hell and you can be sure I'm waiting for you." He moved closer and closer until he was inches away from Bela and yet she was too terrified to move.
Father leaned closer and whispered into her, "Why are you shaking? You're too old for me." The way he said it only infuriated Bela even more. "All you had to do was wait a few years then I would have moved on. Why couldn't you just wait? If you just had a little patience then you wouldn't be going to hell."
"You're right. I shouldn't have made that deal," Bela whispered. Then suddenly lashed out, kneeing her Father in the groin then grabbing his head and slamming it into the wall. The impact sent him collapsing to the floor. Bela grabbed a nearby metal lamp and screamed, "I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU MYSELF!" She hit him over the head again and again and again. Bela didn't know how many time she hit him but she finally stopped when she realized her father's head had become a bloody unrecognizable stump.
Her old clock started buzzing an alarm, just like it did to wake up to school. Bela turned to see the hour was set at midnight. A blood curdling dog howl replaced the alarm then a low growl. A massive black furred red-eyed Doberman pinscher stepped through the wall like a ghost, its lips dripping with blood. A Hellhound.
"I gave my life so that you could live," said John. "Remember what I told you back in the hospital before I died? I said only Sammy matters now. That was your only priority soldier. To keep your little brother safe and you couldn't do that could you? You let him die and then you ran to make a deal to bring him back. Who's going to look after him when you're gone? Bobby?"
"Shut up," growled Dean.
"I should have known you were useless. Everything you own is what I gave you and everything that you know is what I taught you. You were nothing but my attack dog that barked and attacked on command. It's Sammy I really cared for. I only kept you around to keep him safe. I should have just let you die in that hospital. At least if I was alive I would have kept Sam safe," continued John.
"SON OF A BITCH!" shouted Dean, completely losing it. He grabbed John and shoved into a desk, knocking the shotgun from the illusion's hands. "Keep Sammy safe? You were always running around killing monsters or ghosts or whatever! I was the one who protecting Sam! I was the one who tucked him in at night and hugged him whenever he cried out for you! You cared more about killing something then you did being a father!" Dean shouted before unloading a series of right hands into John's face.
"All that crap you unloaded on me about protecting Sammy! That was your job not mine! I didn't deserve the crap you put on me and I don't deserve to go to hell," screamed Dean as he grabbed the shotgun on the ground and blasted two rounds into John's chest. The illusion slumped on the ground, lifeless as he closed his eyes. Dean slumped against the wall, the whole rant seemed to have lift a burden from him.
Suddenly John was on his feet and grabbed him by the neck, pinning him against the wall. His eyes were now shining gold, exactly the same when Azazel possessed him. "How does it feel to finally unload on your old man Dean? I find killing somebody just because you feel enjoy it to be extremely liberating," he laughed.
"You're not real," gasped Dean.
"Maybe not but I'm what you're going to turn into after Hell's done with you. I wonder what color eyes you'll have? I really hope they'll be gold because the irony would be sweeter than honey. Can you imagine after all the demons you killed and exorcised that you end up becoming the King of Hell itself? Congratulations kiddo. You're going to become the very thing that you've been hunting your whole life," mocked Azazel.
Sam kept running through endless alleyways with Jeremy's laughter following him everywhere he went. "One two guess who's coming for you? Three four you can't lock the doors," echoed all around him. Suddenly he fell forward when his legs started to sink. Sam looked at his feet to see they were sinking right through the cement. Jeremy appeared down the alleyway, dressed in a fedora and red and green sweater. On his hand on a glove with knives attached to the fingers.
"Nightmare on Elm Street is my favorite movie. I've been waiting to do this ever since I learned how to use the dream root," said Jeremy. He moved closer as he slide the knifes on the wall, creaking and moaning. "I've got a laundry list of people to do this to. So you'll have to forgive me if I practice a few things on you."
"You don't have to do this Jeremy," Sam tried to plead with him.
"Big tough begging for his life? That's rich," laughed Jeremy.
"I'm not begging for my life. I was begging for your's," Sam replied with a look in his eye.
"JEREMY!" someone shouted behind Sam's attacker. Jeremy turned to see his long dead father storming up to him. The so called god's sadistic and confident face turned to pure dread.
"Dad?" gulped Jeremy.
"You answer me when I'm calling you boy!" the father shouted. Jeremy suddenly lunged forward and stabbed his father with his Freddy Krueger glove. The old man spat out blood and dropped to the ground lifeless.
Jeremy started laughing triumphantly. "Is that the best you can do?" he turned back to Sam.
"Not even close," Sam whispered.
"JEREMY! JEREMY! JEREMY!" echoed through the alleyway. One by one, dozens of duplicates of Jeremy's fathers emerged from the shadows.
Jeremy's smile faded once more. "I'm not afraid of you anymore!" he shouted at each one. The knives on his gloves extended unnaturally and he sliced half of the duplicates in half with a single swipe. But that was more than enough time for Sam to finally free himself from the concrete. His own ability to manipulate the dream world around him was increasing by the second but he didn't need it for what he did next.
"You see that! I'm god here," a distracted Jeremy shouted after he finished off the last off his father's copies. Sam crept up behind him and placed both hand around his head before twisting. The so called god's neck snapped just as easily in the dream world as it would in the real one. Jeremy dropped to the pavement lifeless.
Bobby Singer paced back and forth in the hotel room impatiently. He hated having to sit on the sidelines while the kids were the ones fighting to save him. He wasn't surprised when Sam and Dean agreed with Bela's plan but what did surprise him was that Bela was going as well. Bobby didn't know her very well but he knew her reputation. From what other hunters had said about her, Bela wouldn't throw you a lifeline even if you were drowning in a backyard pool. Maybe she felt she owed the boys after they saved her life but that didn't really fit with her narcissistic reputation.
The three all suddenly sprung from their beds awake. Dean and Bela were both sweating and shaking while Sam seemed rather calm. "Are you three okay?" Bobby asked them. One by one they slowly nodded and for the first time in two days he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Jeremy's not going to be a problem anymore," Sam spoke up.
"Thank god for that," sighed Bela.
"You have excellent timing Sammy," agreed Dean.
The next morning everyone understandably overslept. After a nice long shower, Dean headed to Bela's room to talk. After getting back from Wonderland, everyone pretty much just headed back to their rooms. Everyone was so tired, it was pretty much decided that whatever needed to be said had be done after a good night's sleep. Before Dean could even knock, Bela's door suddenly opened and Sam was shoved out. "Leave," Dean could hear Bela's angry voice before the door slammed shut. Sam turned to see his older brother standing right next to him giving him a look.
"I was just apologizing," Sam threw up his hands.
"Well to be fair she did see some parts of you that I never wanted to see either," Dean mocked him. Sam glared at him and stormed off. Dean turned back to the door and knocked.
"Go away Sam," Bela shouted inside her room.
"Good thing I'm not him," chuckled Dean.
A second later, Bela opened the door but she didn't seem happy to see him. "What do you want and it better not be an apology. I just had to endure Sam's version of one," she demanded.
"C'mon how bad could he be at saying he's sorry?" asked Dean.
"I wished that was it. He kept on saying how sorry he was for every little individual thing and he was quite detailed," fumed Bela. Okay that had to be a little annoying.
"Well I'll not here to apologize," smiled Dean.
"Good for you," Bela replied then slammed the door shut on him. Rather than get irritated, Dean simply knocked on the door again. Bela reopened the door and seemed even more irritated. "Don't you Winchesters take a hint?" she grumbled.
"Not really. I want to talk and I'm not leaving until you let me. You can go ahead and shut the door on me again but I should warn you I know to knock on a door to the tune of Enter Sandman," smiled Dean.
An annoyed Bela opened the door and moved aside to let him in. "Make it quick Dean," she said after he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
"I just want to start by saying that you are the strangest person I have ever met," said Dean. "You act like some selfish con artist who doesn't care about anyone that gets in your way. Kinda like how you always steal thing from us. Then you do something like risking your neck to help us with Gordon or getting that dream plant and helping us save Bobby. I just want to know why."
"It's simple Dean. You're useful," answered Bela. Dean gave her a disbelieving look. "Contrary to popular belief, not everyone woman wants you around because your abs."
"When did you see my abs?" frowned Dean.
"In your dream about me," Bela answered.
"Oh," moaned Dean then his eyes perked up. "Did you like them?" Bela tried to suppress a laugh but failed. "That's a yes," smirked Dean, feeling quite pleased with himself. It was probably the first time he ever managed to get underneath that hard exterior of her's and see just a little something of the real her.
"Don't flatter yourself," smiled Bela.
"Admit Bela. You took just a closer look at that dream of mine didn't you?" chuckled Dean.
"Dean," Bela warned him but still had that slight smirk on her face.
"Okay okay," Dean held up his hands and changed the topic. "Back to my original point. You keep sticking your neck out for us and I just wanted you to know that anytime you need help for anything, you just let me know."
"Oh you weren't going to help me if I got in trouble before all of this?" joked Bela.
"Yeah but I just wanted you to know that if you need anything and I mean anything at all, call me. Even if it's just to talk," said Dean, getting serious.
"That's what psychiatrists are for," sighed Bela.
"Yeah well I'm much cheaper and better looking," smiled Dean.
"Well you're right about the cheap part," mocked Bela. The two of them genuinely smiled for a moment and for once Dean almost forgot about his deadline approaching. All this running around and killing monsters and demons the past few months were mostly just a distraction from what was inevitable. Dean always played the fearless hero around his brother but deep down he was terrified. The thought of what those son of bitches downstairs were going to do to him gave him a lot of sleepless nights. And yet somehow this con artist thief seemed to take his mind off his worries for once. Even seeing Lisa Braeden again didn't do this.
"We're joining Bobby for lunch at a diner down the corner. Care to tag along? My treat," offered Dean.
Bela actually hesitated for a moment, something Dean also had never seen before from her. She seemed like she was actually contemplating it. "Sorry but I'll be leaving shortly. There's something I have to finish," Bela finally answered.
Dean didn't argue with her. "Alright," he said before heading towards the door. He stopped before leaving and asked, "Okay on a scale of one to ten how would you rate my abs?" He didn't get an answer. Bela simply opened the door and shoved him out. Dean felt quite pleased when he noticed the slight smile on her face as she shut the door.
"Is that a ten?" Dean chuckled.
Bela breathed a huge sigh of relief once she heard Dean walking down the hallway and leaned her head against the door. Dammit this was supposed to be so simple. Take the Colt and leave. That was the original plan but then Bela had to risk her life for Dean once again. It dawned on her why though up until this point she just didn't want to accept it. She liked him. She genuinely liked him. This was something that has never happened before. Bela had been in relationships before but they were always part of a job or for a specific reason. Once they weren't useful anymore, they'd never heard from her again. No one ever meant anything to her until now.
Why him? He was handsome but Bela had met plenty of men like that. It wasn't his bravery or loyalty because she met plenty of other hunters like that and she couldn't have cared less if they lived or died. Bela never cared about anyone else almost her entire life. So what was it with Dean Winchester that made him the one exception? This can't be happening now. Not when she was so close.
When Dean told her she could call him for anything, Bela was genuinely considering telling him the truth. He'd be pissed but at least he'd help. But what could of help would it be? Was he going to try and use the Colt to threaten the Crossroad Demon because Bela didn't think that was going to work. And even if he killed it, there was no guarantee she would get out of her contract. He'd probably try to his dying breath to protect from the hellhounds but that wouldn't do Bela much good. It would just be postponing the inevitable and that was the only reason she didn't tell Dean the truth.
She headed towards the window and glanced out, waiting for the Winchesters to leave with Bobby. Once they were gone, Bela would finish what she started. Breaking into the safe were the boys kept it would be easy. Living with herself afterwards would be the hard part.
Dean and Sam were starting to pack up when Bobby entered their room. After a nice lunch, the three were about to hit the road. Dean noticed Bela's car was gone by the time they got back. Maybe she would call him but she didn't seem the type to open up about herself. Dean was the same way but he felt like he had to try.
"A security guard found Jeremy's body in a warehouse in Steubenville, Ohio," Bobby informed them.
"Well then I guess that's that," shrugged Sam.
"Good riddance," muttered Dean as he headed to the safe and entered the combination. He was about to grab the Colt but there was a slight problem. The safe was empty. "Hey Sam did you take the Colt?"
"No. It isn't there?" answered Sam.
"Bobby did you tou…." Dean was about to ask but then he realized everything.
"What?" demanded Bobby.
"Bela," Dean sighed as he slammed the safe shut. Bela stole something from them every time the Winchesters saw her so why the hell was Dean surprised yet again? To think that Dean was ready to open up to her and during that whole conversation, Bela was just bidding her time to grab the Colt.
"Bela stole the Colt?!" shouted Sam.
"Damn it boys!" snapped Bobby.
"Pack your crap. We're gonna hunt the bitch down," Dean told Sam.
(That last conversation with Dean and Bela took me forever to get down. Writing the action scenes were easy but the dialogue between them was hard. Next chapter is going to be very different. It's not going to focus on the Winchesters or Bela but rather what everyone's favorite angel was up to before the whole apocalypse got started.)
