Episode 13

"The only thing to fear"

Chapter 1

Another day, another hunt, another small town...

. . . . . . . .

It was the middle of March and Summer, Winter and Spring began to vie for position as seasons nowadays were just out of wack.

One day it would be a balmy ninety-three degrees which was news worthy for Bridgewater, Maine this time of year and the next day it would be a fridgid six degrees and only sometimes would it meet in the normal range for what was supposed to be the start of spring at thirty-nine degrees.

And it was happening all over the world... There was snow in south Florida on a day that had been sunny and seventy degrees just moments before the clouds rolled in...

That wasn't the only thing to get the attention of the four hunters.

There were stronger earthquakes along the New Madrid fault line and along just about every fault line in the world..

Mass animal deaths that... yes had once been freaky and news worthy but now it was down right ominous as reports came from across the globe of birds falling from the sky by thousands, masses of fish and other aquatic life floating to the surface by millions in the lakes, rivers, seas and oceans all over the planet, deaths by the thousands of livestock animals that were just dropping dead of their own accord.

Crop failures that were starting to register in the supermarkets.

Reports of pandemic as strains of medically resistant viruses and bacterial strains claimed the lives of thousands.

Six species had been reported officially extinct and others that were endagered were so far on the verge that they'd mine as well throw in the towel..

Small nations were slowly being wiped out by famine and sickness and if those things didn't finish off what was left of the people in them, then the fighting over the last of the dwendiling resources would...

And although Dean, Sam Adam and Laney were pretty sure the end was nigh they decided that hope wasn't lost as long as at least one person that did their kind of work was still in the fight...

Sam was on his laptop and Laney was on hers and Adam was on his.. newly "purchased" one.

They were multi-tasking researching the gig they were currently working and putting their heads together over what was going on globally.

Dean was on weapons detail and he was cleaning guns, sharpening knives and making ammunition rounds.

The four hunters knew their easy days were behind them, the only way forward was through the thick of the chaos. The battle was about to get bloodier than ever. . . .

... ... ... ...

No one really knew how it started or where but now there were rumors of people becoming strangely aggressive and whole cities in China and India were supposedly becoming quarantine. . . .

And talk of: "Maybe just maybe it really was the beggining of The End..."

. . . . . . . .

Chapter 2

You think a healthy person would have perspective on the things to truelly be afraid of in life.. and Amy Roberts thought she was a healthy person.. resonably enough that she should know that the cracks in the sidewalk wouldn't just split open and swallow her whole, or that the garden hose could not turn into a snake and attack her. And she USED to know those things but for the last day and a half odd little fears just kept pouring out of nowhere and consuming her with terror...

"Poor girl." Sam said as he looked down at the corpse on the cold metal slab.

This girl a Miss Amy Roberts who was barely twenty years old had a look of shear horror frozen on her face as she lay there with now hollow, lifeless eyes. . .

Dean and Laney agreed with nods.

The hunters did the basics checking the body for signs of what they were certain had to be a death caused by the supernatural.

Sam pulled his gloved hand from the chest cavity and shook the blood from himself splattering Laney.

"Hey.. that's gross..dude!" She excalimed as she wiped the blood from her face.

Dean tried and failed to fight the small laugh that escaped him.

Laney rolled her eyes at him and continued her exam from her point at the dead girl's head

This girl was the twelth person to die in what had at first seemed like random deaths..

There hadn't been a clear pattern and the hunters had to call a pause in play and return back to the hotel.

The one common thing was the deaths themselves, all the bodies had been reported to have the same looks of fear frozen on their faces and all of their hearts had apparently beat so hard to the point of rupture.

If the dead had been bullies and assholes in life this case would make sense for Dean who remembered his own little scares from when he'd been inflicted with ghost sickness.

But the people that had died so far couldn't be further from both bullies and assholes.

It was when Adam researched the people that had died that he found what may be the best lead.

One person had been mugged, one a survivor of a drive by shooting when they'd only been in the wrong place at the wrong time, one's home had been robbed and their property had been vandalized while they were there. When he got down to the first person to die he figured out the one and only thing the dead seemed to have in common.

"They were all victims of horrible acts of violence." He told the other three.

"Well that's a start." Dean said "Now what's causing the deaths?"

"Well that's where I keep getting hung up..I mean none of the acts were commited by the same people nor did they have anything in common and some of those things didn't even happen in this town." Adam answered.

"At least we have something to go on." Said Dean looking worriedly to Laney asking. "How are you feeling right now?"

"I'm feeling like I normally have been. Why?" She asked.

"I'm pretty sure this is ghost sickness and you fit the pattern of the..." Dean started.

"Wow.. you wanna go there?..Really?... I'm a hunter for crying out loud! I'd know if... "

Dean pulled out his E.M.F. meter and scanned Laney. It wailed loudly proving his point.

"Well I don't feel.. I don't feel ANY different AT ALL. Maybe I'll be okay." Laney said sounding sure.

"Yeah that's what I thought when the same thing happened to me remember?' Dean said pointing to his head.

"Right I remember.. man this sucks." Laney sighed.

"Well I know one thing... you're out of this one." Dean said.

"Like hell... Dean I know how to do my job!" Laney shouted.

"You've never dealt with something like this you have no idea.." Dean started and he was cut off by a look from Laney that clearly said "I've BEEN dealing with something LIKE "THIS" GENUIS!"

Then Laney softened and said "Look I get it I get what the risks are... I'll see things I'm going to be afraid of.. BUT how is that different from what everyday life's like RIGHT NOW?"

"It's not." She said answering herself as Dean's mouth hung open as she finished. "I'll deal as it comes..like always."

Sam and Adam stood looking shocked as Dean nodded his compliance saying "The first freak out on the job and your back at the motel and there's not gonna to be argument."

"It's reasonable I can deal with that." Lanet responded.

. . . .

If they knew of someone who'd died recently that may prefer to inflict fear on victims of violent acts it would be easy to just go out and salt and burn... BUT NO!

No one had died that would fit such a description. Not a robber, not a murder, not a sadistic kitten torturer nothing...

. . .

Dean knew that they didn't have alot of time before the ghost sickness killed Laney. . . Boy wouldn't that mess up Destiny's plans.

Dean ordered that even though it'd be cramped that she pack up her gear and room with him and his brother's so they could keep an eye on her till this was over.

The toll it was taking on her didn't really show yet and Dean had to admit he was impressed. It had been tenty-six hours and she hadn't gone gaga yet.

Sam and Adam searched one vics house while Dean and Laney took another. Yes she might be holding it together pretty well so far but there was no way Dean was going to let her go anywhere he couldn't keep an eye on her and he definately wouldn't have trusted her to not lose it on Sam or Adam if she'd gone with one of them.

Rifling through closets and drawers gave Dean and Laney no indication that this person had much of a chance of even being conected to the kind of person, that became the kind spirit that was causing the ghost sickness.

. . .

Usually vengeful spirits had a focus at first, the people who'd killed them, the people who they blamed for their death, people that betrayed them in life.

The only kinds of people any of the dead had actually known or interacted with were good people and most of them were still alive and the ones who weren't hadn't died recently enough to be their Casper.

Still the only leads were the acts they'd lived through and all the people responsible had nothing in common aside from behavior, personality and they were all still alive.

. . . . .

It was thirty-two hours after Laney had been infected by the ghost sickness and although she was pale she was still seeming to hold it together. . . .

Dean and Laney were meeting with a family of one of the dead. They were trying to tie up the lose ends on this gig so they could get her better.

Dean and Laney sat on the family's livingroom sofa and Laney gave automated, sympathetic and compashionate smiles every so often as she coaxed the relatives to talk.

Dean noticed how Laney nervously shook her leg up and down or wiggled her foot side to side, like she couldn't sit still.

"Are you freaking out?" He asked in a whisper as he leaned close so only she could here. "Tell me now so I can get you back.."

"Dean I'm fine." She hissed.

He'd let it go till they were out and back on the road.

"You are NOT fine." Dean stated. "It's been over thirty hours you're bound to be hallucinating all kinds of crap by now."

"Yes... Okay I'm seeing things..But I didn't lose it and I won't cause I know none of it's real." Laney huffed. "It's no different than the flashbacks or nightmares I just have to ride it all out till we figure out how to get rid of this thing."

"Yeah but you know how you get with the nightmares and flashbacks and if you lose it like that in public..Laney there's no telling what this thing is going to make you see..I'm sorry but I have have to pull the plug on you being out in the field." Dean chidded apologeticly.

"Okay." Laney sighed. And she hated herself for promising not to argue.

"I just dont want..." Laney started to say she had almost been about to confess one of her fears and she shook her head and finished with a quiet "Never mind."

Dean was able to see a flash of something in her mind before she managed to put back up her defenses.

She didn't want to be left alone. . . not with just the torment to keep her company .

She saw that he'd just caught a glimpse of her mind, thankfully just a glimpse and it led him to both wrong and right conclussions.

Dean looked over to Laney and wondered how and exactly when it was she had gotten so good at blocking him from seeing her thoughts.. And to think there was once a time he wanted that.

Aware that although she could block him he still remained defensless to her pretty much of the time unless he delibertly forced himself to think something that would throw her off or he repeated one thing over and over in his head much like she had with the repitition of the very corny and cheesy "Star Spangled Banner" and "This Land Is My Land" when she had first tried to will him to stay out of her mind what seemed like so long ago.

She gave him a look and a sigh that said "Still hear you" and he knew all his battleships were going to be sunk every single time unless her mind was weakened much like it had been during her momentary depression and her haze and disorentation that came with what LEGION had done, waking from three weeks of being under or that followed the nightmares and flashbacks.

Then he realized she could still hear his thoughts so maybe she wasn't doing so bad upstairs after all.

"I'll make you a deal." Dean said as it was pointless to think about it unless it was outloud and then it's as good as offering anyway. "You're on lockdown once we get back to the motel. BUT I'm going to stick it out with you. It's no different having Sam and Adam splitting up to work, two directions are still being covered and everything. And I figure I could use some bench time to anyway."

Laney gave a grateful sigh and her shoulders relaxed. She remembered from what she'd seen of Dean's life that he had to have gone through this alone because Sam was all there was to work the case and she didn't want that to be her because she didn't think that she'd be able to handle when things started to get worse...especially not alone.

And things got worse FAST...

Dean had made sure to turn the motel room into a veritable fort of safety, removing anything that could break (He remembered the clock from when he went through this had taken a nice beating) anything Laney could poetentially, unintentionally hurt herself or someone else with (meant wepons went bye bye into the trunk of the Impala), and he made sure to have everything he may need to subdue her at hand, which meant cuffs and duck tape if it came to that.

Even though tying her down was the least thing he wanted to do, he knew that he might HAVE TO for his safety as well as her own, cause honestly even when in a really weakened state she could still kick his ass (or at least inflict a LOT of damage on him) and that put her in danger to if she went off the reservation.

He of course told her about the plan to cuff her down if she got out of hand and though she had a great deal of apprehension in her eyes she agreed that if it came down to that it would have to be done and she voiced her trust in him saying that she knew she'd be okay with him and said that if she said (or thought) otherwise from this point on it would be the fear talking.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Laney grew paler by the moment and her breathing was coming in heaves and panicked wheezes yet she hadn't flipped on Dean once. . .

And he had no idea how she was managing that feat because the defenses of her mind to him had fallen and he could see her mind for all the horrors she was being forced to see. . .

Mostly it was obvious things like a freaky eyed him or Sam wielding a knife, taking a swing or pawing at her in lewd and perverse manners.

But there were also some very unsettling images of a baby cradled bloody and lifeless in her arms which made her wail in dispair and beg for GOD to give back her child. . .beg for a second chance and she swore she could be a good mother as she pleaded to an unjust GOD for the life of a child that wasn't there. . .

He could see failing her own child was the one thing she was truely terrified of above all things. She wanted to protect the helpless life from the cruel fate she assumed Destiny to have in store.

And her awful thoughts of "I couldn't even protect myself. How can I hope to save my child?" and as the lifless child would make another appearance the thoughts of "I knew I'd fail..Why did I even hope?... Why. . . GOD. . . Why did you make me love this child only to rip them away? Why did I have to be destined to fail my child?. . . WHY DID I HAVE TO BE CHOSEN FOR THIS?" She screamed at no one as she clung shakily to the unreal form of the child. . .

As he watched her break to slivers, he knew her fear was his as well... that child could be his. . . could REALLY be his. . . and if ANYTHING happened to that child then that meant he had failed to. . .

"Laney it's not real." He said firmly and projecting it into her mind. He took her by the shoulders made her look him in the eye and said "I need you to calm down. The baby's safe. . . The baby's inside you. . . and you HAVE to calm down for the baby's sake. . . You have to be strong and fight the fear. . . I know you can. . . You can do it for the baby. . . think of the baby. . .You'll keep the baby safe. . I know you won't let anything bad happen. . Alright? I'm trusting YOU to pull out of this. . .

When Laney's gaze grew distant he did the only thing he could think to pull her back saying " Laney this child..." and he placed his hand to her stomach. . ."Might be mine. . . do you hear me?. . . That means I'm trusting YOU with OUR child's life right now. . . Laney... I'M. . . TRUSTING... YOU to keep OUR child safe!"

Laney blinked rapidly as his words pinged in the depths of her subconsious. The baby was still okay, the baby was safe inside her... But NOT if she couldn't calm down. . . and Dean was. . . He was TRUSTING. . . HER. . .REALLY trusting HER with what mattered and that was the life of... Did he just say THEIR child?

She took a deep breath and stilled herself, she still couldn't see Dean, not real Dean anyway though he stood right in front of her. . . She ignored what she knew wasn't real and reached out blindly. . . Touching her anchor that was Dean. And he could see the hidden want. . .

She longed for this child to be his. . . She knew from what she had seen of his life he would be such a great father. .She wanted to raise THEIR child TOGETHER. . . and he felt her heartache in her secret wishing that he could love her and that it could be REAL, NOT something Destiny had concocted and rigged in it's scheme of things. Dean saw her fear that maybe her feelings were rigged and how she couldn't tell him any of it because she didn't want him to see how weak she felt for giving in and falling for him. . . THIS is why she'd been so guarded.

It was a punch to the heart. . . he'd never thought of it that way. . . He'd almost fallen for her once and she'd shot him down and he knew now that it was mostly to skirt away from her destiny and with that destiny having been forced upon her, THEM really, there was nothing that made them loving each other wrong anymore. . .

AND he wanted so badly to be able to give her that because he did care about her and he REALLY could love her. . . BUT a relationship? After everything? He knew something like that couldn't work out. . . especially now when he could see that freaky eyed him was back and being more horrendous than before and even he wanted to fight "IT" even though he knew "IT" was in her mind.

"How could she even think of loving someone like me?" He wondered. And he thought of how when he'd seen her life that he had thought she was naive for staying chaste just for the man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

Dean realized that it was he who was naive. How could something like that be taken away from someone without it messing them up?

He felt that she had probably just been wanting to reclaim what was robbed from her and that since he had technically been her first it would make sense, if that, had toyed with her brain untill she started to believe that if they could just love each other and he could just be the father of her child then that would help soften the blow of what was taken away and it would help repair what she felt to be her broken virtue.

Of course she would want to save her virtue what Saint wouldn't?

And he could feel how that had been tearing her apart inside. The secret inner war between feelings she wanted to be real, that she wanted him to REALLY share and the fact that she could sometimes hardly even look at him because of what had been done to her by LEGION along with the fear she'd see THEIR eyes. And even though she'd never voice it out loud and she would always try to keep it hidden from him to save him the guilt the pang of fear that she got sometimes that if she met his gaze that it would just be his eyes and hell's fury burning in them again. The way it shredded her was truely gut wrenching for Dean. The confusion, the anger, the love, the need to hate, the want of feeling untainted and the damning of her fate.

He saw his knowledge of what had been going on in her head register in her mind and BOY... DID... THAT... SO... NOT... HELP... MATTERS...

Laney's eyes widened at the horror that he had seen the depths of her secret hidden fears and longings. . .

"NO!. . . DEAN... WHY?" She screamed. . . She wanted to beg him to forget to just have things go back to normal, for both of them to be able to pretend that what he saw was just a side effect of the sickness.

BUT. She knew THAT wasn't going to happen and her breathing quickened,she buckled innwardly grabbing her chest as the first wave in the series of what was going to be a lot more pain hit her. . .

Laney wheezed sounding terrified. . . Now that she was weakened significantly she couldn't fight the onslaught of things she was seeing any longer and they bombarded her with the worst things yet.

Dean could see that Laney wasn't going to last another twelve hours... It was quite possible she wasn't going to last another two.

He laid her on the bed. Her body had gone immobile because somewhere in her mind she was bound and it made her unable to work her arms or legs.

But her eyes were still opened and her mind was going four hundred million miles a minute with all of her doubts, worries, longings and fears. . .

Dean climbed beside her still form and put his ear to her chest to listen to the hammering of her heart and willed to her with his mind, hopping to reach what was left of the strong part of hers...the part that was still trying to fight and win because she knew she had a child to protect within her.

He knew she was fighting as hard as she could with everything she had left and he could feel her guilt as she believed he had put his trust in the wrong person after all.

And he spoke softly, calmly trying to pull her back, trying to give her more time.

"It's okay I know it's hard. . . But you're not alone. . Okay?. . . I PROMISE... I'm here. . . Laney look at me. . Laney. . look at me." Dean willed her to a baritable form of coherency and she sought to pull her gaze to his... but how could she look into his eyes if she couldn't even see HIM right now for all of the illusions that danced before her sight?

Dean took her limp arm and placed it onto his shoulder and looked into her vacant stare. . . She was looking RIGHT at him RIGHT into his eyes but she couldn't see reality and he needed to bring her back even just slightly so he could help her fight.

"Look at me." He willed her and he squeezed her hand. "I'm right here... focus. Please Laney I know you can do it. . Just a little farther to the surface" He was trying to mentally guide her through the mine field of things that weren't real, but were still gut wrenchingly terrifying.

"Ignore them. . . I'm here. .RIGHT here... right here." He coaxed giving her arm at his shoulder a jostle.

"Come on... you're almost there..See... Here I am... just like I promised" Dean said with a smile as he watched the storm roll from Laney's eyes.

"Feel better?" He asked as he tethered her to him to keep from losing her again.

Laney gave a weak nod and a tear roled down her cheek as she thought heartbrokenly "Why do you have to be so perfect?"

Dean heard it and knew what she meant. She thought he was to good to be true with the way he could care, the way he could save someone, even from themselves and it made her love for him grow a little more.

Dean felt her praise and love were misplaced. . But he could see now, that whether she would admit it or not, to him or herself, that he was what she wanted AND what she needed.

And he COULD be that for her even for just a little while at least untill she got through this and then they could work at the details of whatever this was becoming.

He took a deep breath, placed his forhead against hers and told her "Stay with me this time. Okay? We''ll do this together."

Laney's heart had quickened it's pace as the newly formed fear of actually being loved struck her. It was a lot to hold up to.

Dean realized they both had the same fear of letting someone love them and they both shared the same misconception that they didn't deserve it.

"It's okay..." He said. "We can figure it out later. And WE, ARE gonna have a later. Do you hear me?"

Laney shook her head looking astounded. She couldn't see his thoughts and she couldn't really comprehend a lot to form many of her own. But was he saying what she thought he was saying?

He couldn't bare to have her overthink this and start freaking out again and that seemed like that's where this was going and he joked saying "GEEZ! Afraid of commitment much?"

Laney actually laughed at that and it strengthened her hold on reality a little.

She was getting paler and now her skin was warm to the touch as fever began to set in.

And Dean didn't know if that had happened to him because he had been out of it towards the last and he had been alone so he didn't know what he'd been like.

Towards the last. . . He would have died if Sam hadn't road hauled that ghost at just the right time and Dean didn't know how Laney was going to survive if Sam and Adam didn't find something soon...

Then something happened that Dean knew DEFINATLY..DID...NOT. .HAPPEN while he went through his bout of this supernatural illness.

Laney's body began to float off of the bed and her body began to quake and she was locked in an outwardly silent scream but in her head it was deafening.

Dean could see freaky eyed him and freaky eyed Sam along with the horrific images of the child. . .Then it was just freaky eyed him that became regular looking him except IT was cold and menacing and IT was trying IT'S hardest to convince her that REAL him didn't couldn't care and IT was being peverse in saying "I could do you though." And IT was fondiling her intimately and making gestures of trying to rape her as she levitated...

But that's where whatever had it's hold on her now lost. Because she let lose an audible ear piercing scream as her mind raged back with everything she could muster.

For a moment he caught a glimpse of what gave her the strength to rally.

The "THING" had tried to sell ITSELF off as REAL him and that's where IT'D lost IT'S grip. IT could sell ITSELF off as freaky eyed LEGION possessed him and hell's fury him and it could even sell her that she'd failed as a mother but the one thing IT could not sell her was that REAL him would EVER do ANYTHING like that to her.

But IT wouldn't give up IT'S hold so easily and Laney's levitating body now became an arial weapon as she was hurled towards Dean, knocking him to the floor. Then she was ripped towards the ceiling and richocheted from wall to wall.

This wasn't just some adverage Casper and Dean didn't know what THIS was. .

He fought to catch Laney's body and pull her from the air and she was begging him to help her as she was thrown about with him still clinging to her.

Dean was being drug along with her by the force of it and her shrieks of desperation were piercing the air. . .

And then just like THAT Laney fell from the air and Dean barely managed to catch her before she landed in the floor.

She was panting hard, sweating profusely and barely conscious but her mind was reaching out to him calling "Dean? Where are you?" She couldn't see him again but now it was only gray that clouded her vision as she began to fade.

Whatever THIS was she had fought valiantly against IT but IT had won as she was to weak to keep going round and round and Dean knew she was taking her final breaths.

He kissed her forhead, told her he was sorry and cradled her closely.. crying over what he was losing.

"Well isn't that a sight." Said Gabriel as he phased into view.

"Honestly turn my back for half a second and look at the mess.." He started.

Dean's mouth was hanging open in shock. His eyes bulged from there sockets as he placed Laney gently to the floor and raged to a stand screaming "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! WHERE THE ...WHAT THE.." He fumed as he clenched his fist and stormed to in front of the angel.

Gabriel gave a sarcastic grin saying "Nice to see you to. .. I've been around."

"FIX HER." Dean commanded in a threatening animalistic growl. Now he was almost certain that this all had been the work of this. . . Trickster.

But Gabriel just looked to him and said "I can't... We have to get her out of here before I can do anything to help her. So I suggest you call your brothers and tell them to fall back before they wind up casualties as well."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?.. SHE'S THE ONLY ONE..." Dean started.

"At first yes she's the only one out of you four to get infected. . . But it's only a matter of time before the spirit of FEAR takes over this whole town." Gabriel responded. "That means you and your brothers to dumb-ass. So call your brothers tell them to fall back and pack up your crap so we can get as far away from here as possible... Before she dies would be prefable for everyone I think." Gabriel finished gesturing to Laney.

Dean pulled out his cell and dialed his brothers. . . ordering them to come back to the motel.

"I NEED ANSWERS!" Dean yelled as he tore through the room and gathered everyone's gear.

Gabriel was crouched over Laney and she was looking at him mesmerized by the sight of him.

To her he felt benevolent and he looked like a sparkiling, glowing silver humanoid looking being that had silvery wisps of wings trailing behind him.

He was the MOST BEAUTIFUL THING she'd EVER seen. And for a moment she forgot how angels could be and she wrapped herself into him and pleaded "Give me mercy... Give me strength... Give me guidance... Help me have faith."

Dean saw what she saw and was in equal awe... But he felt a little jealous at the MOST BEAUTIFUL THING EVER thought. And he was going to pry her away from him bacause in her weakened state she'd believe any of the angel's lies but he saw what comfort he gave her and he didn't have the heart to rip her away from that. So he reeled in his temper and quieted his tone.

"Gabriel, you ASSHAT." He seethed. "What IS going on? Since when are you amongst the living and WHY are you here?... What... UGGHGRR." Dean had to clench his teeth to keep from going off. He couldn't handle this right now.

Gabriel was now cradling Laney to him with his hand to her temple giving her what comfort he could manage. But it never lasted long as the torrent of fear kept pulling her away.

"This is the work of the Spirit of FEAR.", "It escaped from purgatory." Gabriel answered. "It first took it's hold here in those that were once victims but it's spreading to so much more and soon it will consume this whole town. And after that the world."

"Well stop it!" Dean exclaimed.

"FEAR can't really ever be fully defeated you fool and she's angered it enough just by winning one small battle against it."

"What do you mean winning? Look at her...She's dying..how is that winning anything?" Dean asked in anger.

"Yes it's still claiming her life..that's winning the war.. for your information.. But the little battle that just ensued.. SHE... WAS victorious in because she TRUSTS YOU and it tried to sell itself as something she knows you'd never be... That's why it got physical when it realized it couldn't win through scare tactics.. you were helping there.." Responded Gabriel "Love and trust are some of the only things that can keep FEAR at bay. And well you.. you were holding her together against it's barage and it couldn't let her slip it's grasp so easily so it had to go to a plan B then C when it messed up and tried to oversell itself."

"How do you know all that? You said you weren't..." Dean stammered.

"I wasn't here...haven't been for a while...But all angels can see their charge's mind when they're close like this." Gabriel answered, giving Dean a knowing look.

"As soon as we get her to safety and I make her better... I believe I have some explaining to do." Said Gabriel with a reluctant nod.

He knew he wasn't supposed to..even he didn't know everything in it's fullness to offer them all the answers they needed.. BUT SOMEONE had to be on Mankind's side through all this and he figured "What the heck? Mine as well be me."

Chapter 3

When Sam and Adam arrived they were both surprised to see the new arrival.

Sam knew from what he remembered seeing of Dean's life who and what he was looking at and why he shouldn't trust him..it just in case...

And Adam only extended his hand in introduction assuming Dean had found another hunter for the cause and when Dean clued him in that Gabriel was an angel he withdrew his hand and glared at Gabriel letting him know on what terms angels sat with him.

Gabriel only smiled warmly at Adam as if he were his own kin and he gave an apologetic nod in understanding.

. . .

Dean had Sam and Adam load up the Impala as he didn't trust Gabriel alone with Laney.

"Why couldn't you just beam us out of here?" Dean asked.

"I will dummy.. Everyone get's in the car and I transport us all out of here with a wiggle of my nose.. Just like that.. Or did you prefer to leave your brothers, your car and all your stuff behind?" Gabriel said sarcastically.

And when Dean helped Laney to the car and got behind the wheel...FLASH... they were somewhere else.

After getting back his bearings Dean realized they were in Laney's house.

The brothers watched as Gabriel placed his hand to Laney's temple. She leaned into his gracious touch. A light of silver and gold emminated from her as she gave a small moan and shuddered as relief flooded through her.

"She'll be fine." Said Gabriel as Dean came to an abrupt stand as she fell unconscious. He had been about to do something stupid and Gabriel knew Dean didn't understand, hadn't been thinking in the haste of wanting to come to her aid.

"What the hell did you just do to her?" Dean seethed.

"I activated part of her grace." Said Gabriel simply.

"Her what?" Asked Dean. "I thought only angels..."

"Had grace.. yes only angels, or part angels, have grace." Gabriel responded and he walked to Sam put his hand to Sam's temple and the same light came from him before he fell to his knees. Then he looked to Dean as Adam caught Sam and said sarcastically "Any questions?"

"Talk... NOW...And I want..EVERYTHING!" Dean snarled.

"Well sorry sunshine.. I don't know everything.. But I'll tell you all I safely can...Cause well I've grown fond of you stupid little mud monkeys." Said Gabriel with a grin.

"So... I have to start at the beggining for it to all make sense and there'll be blanks that I can't fill. But hopefully you'll get the general idea." Said Gabriel as he paced back and forth.

"First there was darkness and we can all wonder how it came to be or just except that it was just there. There was GOD and Asherah his wife."

"GOD HAS A WIFE?" Dean yelled as his eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Don't interupt." Said Gabriel with a roll of his eyes. "Anyway how GOD came to be, how Asherah came to be, how they came to be together in marriage can all be pondered on because like darkness they just WERE."

"And Asherah bore children. The first BEGOTTEN son and HIS brothers Michael and Samael. Then she bore out Raphael, me and well.. EVERY spirit that will ever exist. WE are ALL... HER spirit children."

"And as heaven filled GOD saw how some of his children wanted.. simplest way to put it..to have a place of their own... That they could claim dominion over."

So GOD created light, the universe, the Earth and all it's inhabitants... And some creations had to be imprisoned as they had corrupt and glutonous natures."

" Then HE created man and gave that man HIS image, breathed into him the breath of life and gave him The Garden Of Eden in which to reside with only two rules don't eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge nor the tree of life ... and he made Man a mate... and here's where it starts to get complicated... and various rumors abound to as how, who, what and why."

"You see GOD decreed that.. man would break the rules.. eventually... eat the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge because.. well like I said complicated.. but Man would be forced from The Garden.. because it was the longing of some of his spirit children to feel, to choose which meant sorrow and suffering for all of Mankind. Because through suffering you regonize GOD'S grace when you witness acts of kindness and mercy and through both you regonize the responsibility of choice and it helps instill faith.

"And GOD decreed his first born had the birth right to be the savior of Mankind and that, THAT son would reap the benefits of the harvest of the souls he saved when the already foretold end of Man came about."

"Now Samael was favored of GOD and it made him jealous for his eldest brother to have claim to a prize that he wanted to be his. And GOD chastized him for coveting his brother's birthright."

"Now it was also decreed that the first few hundred thousand of GOD'S spirit children had the birthright to be.. of a benevolent nature.. what you know as angels.. BUT his first twelve would be Archangels... and they would have powers beyond their brethren."

"Even this did not please Samael and he went to Man's mate and tempted her to selfish thought. For if he could not have charge over Man then he would meddle with GOD'S plans for them."

"When Man saw that his mate's nature had changed and she no longer wanted to be his mate but to be "her own person" as one could put it. Man told GOD and he wished to please and respect his mate. So GOD gave the mate her own dominion in the badlands of the Earth for reprimand of her betrayal and HE made Man another mate that would be attached to him for she would be made from a part of him."

"And Samael was enraged that Man was still falling in line with GOD'S word.

"He went to the badlands to Man's first mate and corrupted her further making her his to rule."

"GOD chatized Samael again for interferring and in reprimand he gave Man position over Samael and told him to bow subseveantly to all the souls that would become them."

"Knowing that they would all be purposedly flawed once in their flesh.. He considered his station above them and he refused... claiming GOD was the only one he'd bow to."

"GOD loved Samael and he had been HIS favorite child but that had made him spoiled and GOD had to crack down."

"So Samael was cast to Earth and renamed Lucifer and he took Man's first mate as a wife and GOD renamed her Lillith and HE declared her twisted and demonic and decreed that her offspring would be a whole new breed of vile."

"Now in his rage of being denied his place in heaven Lucifer released GOD'S imprisoned creations and let them lose on the world."

Then Lucifer went to Man's second mate and tempted her to the fruit of the tree of knowledge and he showed her through the art of seduction how pleasing knowledge could be and she partook of the forbidden fruit and guided her mate to do the same."

"And it angered GOD that his word was forced to fruition for it was not in the manner nor the time for which he had decreed.

"And GOD chastized Man a bit harsher than he had intended for falling for Lucifer's trickery and HE tasked them with the hunting of the creatures who did not belong amongst Men."

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

"Now as Man multiplied there were angels decreed to be Watchers and they were scattered over the land to watch Mankind. Their leader was Samyaza who's vessel was Aberath and his second in command was his best friend Azazel who's vessel was Aberath's brother Jial."

"And they befriended Man and looked upon the fairness of their daughters and took for themselves wives from the daughters of men who were vessels as no other bloodline could bear an angel's child."

"The children of such a pairing were strong and inherited the grace of angels."

"It is written in places that the pairings were forbidden and the children were despised by GOD."

"But that isn't entirely true."

"The children mostly became corrupt due to their power and GOD was displeased with them."

"But those who were not corrupted by their power had GOD'S favor and HE gave them praise and positions of importance and authority."

"At some point Samyaza and Azazel had a falling out and Lucifer corrupted Azazel into following him."

"And for revenge against Samyaza, Azazel found what he could of Samyaza's children and poured his corrupted blood into their throats and made them something else entirely."

"Lucifer began to gain followers, for others thought GOD was foolish for giving Man dominion over anything and Lucifer soon had whole regiments of his brothers and sisters by his side."

"Then Lucifer in his lust for power took a fight to GOD demanding GOD step down from his throne for he would be a better ruler for Man and his brethren."

"And GOD had no choice but to create a new prison and cast his child there."

"Then GOD made a another new prison with Lucifer's Cage at it's depths and he cast the angels and Men that Lucifer had corrupted into it."

"GOD'S word was spoken of and destinies were prophesized about and that's were thing's get FUN."

"Let's just say some players from all sides of the board started to work together to ensure fufilment of some of those prophecies, lines were crossed and there were consequences that can't be rectified."

"Centuries passed into present day."

"And to make a long story short... YOU." Gabriel pointed to Dean. "Know that you and Sam are vessels and that you're from an unbroken line of Pure Blood hunters and vessels."

"What you didn't know untill just now and I'm hoping you've guessed where I'm going with this. Azazel was an angel once... meaning it isn't just demon blood in your brother's or Laney's veins. Meaning they both have grace."

"And I hope you've guessed by now that it was always destined to be that way... Don't ask me why... But apparently it's written somewhere... that EVERYTHING that you, Laney and your brothers have been through in your lives, where you are right now was always going to happen exactly the way it has. And ALL four of you have destinies that are going to play out exactly how they're written and even I don't know the whole story. Let's just say there's players on all sides of the board that went through a lot just to ensure all four of you came into existence EXACTLY how you did...Made sure your bloodlines would be Pure and unbroken. . . and everything. Heck the four of you were a joint engineering project to put it bluntly ... All because they all only have bits and pieces of knowledge about your "supposed" destinies. . . and they all have their own resons for wanting to try and control them."

"BUT a few things you SHOULD know with Sam's whole demon blood issue."

"That's in the past." Dean interupted with a growl.

"I get it's a touchy subject but I thought you should know that it really wasn't Sam's fault and it wasn't yours.

And that Sam could always exercise demons with his mind, it comes with having powerful grace and Azazel was a powerful angel, Sam just didn't know how to tap into it. Getting him addicted to demon blood was always just a leash that ensured he was guided down the destined path."

"I just thought you should know that there really isn't any fighting something like this and that you were played as well..every wedge between you and Sam were put there in attempts to force you into your destinies." Said Gabriel.

"Well I've had enough of getting it in the ass from this Destiny creep! OUR lives are not some game! WE are not toys!" Dean yelled irately.

"But Destiny will play all of you just the same anyway. It plays us all." Said Gabriel sadly.

"What about free will?" Dean asked. "You said Mankind was put here for the ability to feel and choose."

"That was the original intention... But with so many players self fufilling propecies and meddling to ensure their own means made some people's destinies become runaway trains that can't be stopped. Sucks to be the four of you."

"Dean felt sick as he remembered Michael's words of freewill being an illusion. Right now it seemed like that was true...But for some odd reason only for him and those he cared for.

He had questions he wasn't sure he wanted or really cared about, the answers to. He had to believe he could still choose about some things and he wanted to feel like his "choices" mattered. (If they could even be called choices, because doing anything, including making a decision could be something Destiny had already written and how is it REALLY a choice THEN?)

It was to much for Dean to take in. The fact that he, Laney and his brothers exsisted for the soul purpose of having their lives toyed with.

As Dean tried to wrap his mind around what he was just told it registered in his mind that Laney and Sam were doing the same thing... "When did they wake up?" Dean asked himself and Laney answered with the thought "We heard the WHOLE thing."

"Well at least I don't have to explain everything." Dean sighed with a halfhearted laugh.

Gabriel could tell he'd put enough on all their plates and they needed time to let it settle and sink in so with a flutter of wings he was gone.

So now there was Leviathan, LEGION, FEAR, Destiny and who knows what else to deal with. Could anything else possibly go wrong?

"So I'm... Me and Sam are..." Laney stammered in the silence that was left by Gabriel's exit.

"Looks like." Said Dean raising his eyebrows.

"Wow!" Was the only response Laney could give.

Dean turned his attention to Sam "How you doin over there?" he asked.

"Well thanks to Gabriel I have my memory back and I honestly prefer when ignorance was bliss." Sam responded. His eyes were wide with shock as he now remembered EVERYTHING.

Dean chuckled lightly. "So do I." He thought. And he walked over to Sam, pulled him to his feet and wrapped HIS Sammy in the tightest hug he'd ever given him.

Sam pulled away and looped his finger around Dean's necklace and said "You know you were REALLY a JERK when you threw this away."

Dean smiled at Sam and responded "Well you were a BITCH for not punching me in the face the second it left my hand."

Adam and Laney beamed genuine lit up smiles at the sight as Sam hugged him back. At least there's one that'd gone right.

Dean was happy to see Sam finally back to full capacity and he playfully challenged his "little" brother to a sparring match before they hit the road again. And Laney knew Dean just wanted to make sure Sam hadn't lost anything in transition.

And only when it was clearly obvious that Sam still had it, did Dean finally let up.

Adam and Laney were leaning against the Impala happily taking in the show till Sam and Dean saunted over covered in sweat with giant grins on their faces.

The four hunters headed South East towards Alta, Wyoming where they were sure something supernatural was wreaking havoc on tourist at the Yellowstone National Park. . . Well . . just because their lives MIGHT be planned out doesn't mean they're gonna let that stop them from living.

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