Disclaimer- I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
XKaterinaNightingaleX- Thank you! Yeah, I know, but this is extra long, though!
ccgnme- Thanks! I love writing in his point of view!
Garideth- Technically, Michael's approval is a warning in itself… *evil smirk*
Well, this is it, guys, the final chapter!
Keep your eyes peeled for 'The Descent', the sequel to this!
It should be up tomorrow!
Chapter name borrowed from Sopor Aeternus.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN- THIS PROFANE FINALITY
"You know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask," Meg sneered, reclining easily on the chair, looking at the pentacle on the ceiling amusedly.
I watched Bobby curiously as he came in with a large canister of salt.
One of Dean and Sam's few friends, it seemed.
"I salted the door and windows," Bobby grunted. "If there are any demons out there- they ain't getting in."
Dean nodded and stood up, moving around us to stand in front of Meg.
"Where's our father, Meg?"
She smirked. "You didn't ask very nice."
Dean gritted his teeth. "Where's our father, bitch?"
"Jeez," Meg turned her head to one side. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"
She tapped a finger against her cheek. "Oh, wait, I forgot, you don't."
Dean lunged at Meg.
"You think this is a frigging game?" He yelled. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"
She smiled widely. "He died screaming. I killed him myself."
Dean snapped, hitting her across the face.
"That's kind of a turn on-" Meg chuckled. "You hitting a girl."
I turned away, unsettled.
Dean was frightening me.
"You're no girl," He set his jaw.
Bobby moved into the next room. "Dean."
We followed, and Sam faced Dean.
"You okay?" He looked at him worriedly.
Dean ignored him. "She's lying. He's not dead."
Bobby huffed. "Dean, you got to be careful with her. Don't hurt her."
"Why?" Dean growled.
"Because she really is a girl, that's why," Bobby sighed, tugging at his beard.
"What are you talking about?" Sam cocked an eyebrow.
"She's possessed," Bobby shook his head. "That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?"
I was horrified. "Are you trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped in there somewhere?"
Bobby just nodded.
Dean looked at Meg, who stared back at him.
"That's actually good news."
~Supernatural~
Sam leafed through the book, looking for the ritual.
He glanced at us, walking over to Meg.
She smiled sweetly. "Are you gonna read me a story?"
"Something like that," Dean stared at her icily. "Hit it, Sam."
"Regna terrae, cantate deo, psallite domino," Sam continued in Latin.
"An exorcism?" Meg scoffed. "Are you serious?"
Dean grinned.
"Oh, we're going for it, baby- head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards."
I shifted uneasily, backing into the furthest corner from Meg.
"Tribuite virtutem deo," Sam watched Meg.
Meg flinched in pain.
She looked balefully at Sam.
"I'm gonna kill you," She hissed, turning to Dean. "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."
Dean smirked. "Nah, you're gonna burn in hell. Unless you tell us where Dad is."
Meg bared her teeth in a half-smile, half-snarl.
"Well," Dean shrugged. "At least you'll get a nice tan."
He glanced up at Sam.
"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica….."
The chair rattled from side to side in the circle, and Meg shook violently as Sam spoke.
Venom dripped from every syllable that came out of her mouth.
"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time. That's when I slit his throat."
Sam started reading again, and Dean leant down to her.
"Ergo…."
Dean's voice was eerily calm. "For your sake, I hope you're lying. '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. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae."
As Sam spoke, a wind blew through the room.
"Hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei. Contremisce et effuge. Invocato a nobis sancto et terribile nomine. Quem inferi tremunt..."
Meg shuddered again.
"Where is he?"
"You just won't take dead for an answer, will you?"
"Where is he?" Dean demanded.
"Dead!" Meg yelled.
"No, he's not!" Dean shouted. "He's not dead! He can't be!"
I pulled him slightly away from Meg.
Dean was upset, and Sam was eying him concernedly.
He shook me off, snapping at Sam.
"What are you looking at? Keep reading!"
"Ab insidis diaboli, libera nos, domine. Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias, libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos."
The chair started sliding around the circle again.
"Ut inimicos sanctae ecclesiae humiliare digneris, to rogamus audi..."
"He will be!" Meg screamed.
"Wait!" Dean flung out an arm to stop Sam. "What?"
"He's not dead," Meg curled her lip.
"But he will be after what we do to him."
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Dean paced the floor.
"You don't," Meg was smug.
"Sam!"
"A building, okay?" Meg spoke in a rush. "A building in Jefferson City."
"Missouri? Where?" Dean shook her. "An address!"
"I don't know!" She panted, eyes crossed to slits.
"And the demon- the one we're looking for- where is it?"
"I don't know!" Meg's tone was close to a howl. "I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."
Dean clenched his fists. "Finish it."
"What?" Meg's eyes flashed to Dean. "I told you the truth!"
His expression did not change. "I don't care."
"You son of a bitch," Meg snarled. "You promised!"
Dean flexed his jaw. "I lied! Sam?"
Sam did not speak.
Dean walked by him. "Sam! Read!"
"Maybe we can still use her," Sam said quietly. "Find out where the demon is."
"She doesn't know," Dean forced out the words.
"She lied," Sam returned.
"Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there." Dean looked at him pointedly. "We've got to help her."
Bobby came up to us, then. "You're gonna kill her."
"What?"
"You said she fell from a building," Bobby slammed his hand down on the table. "That girl's body is broken, the only thing keeping her alive is that demon."
"You exorcise it- that girl is going to die."
"Listen to me, both of you," Dean glared at us. "We are not gonna leave her like that."
Dean was scaring me, but I stood my ground.
This was going too far.
"She's a human being, Dean," I pleaded. "You can't just kill her, you-"
I flinched away from his livid expression as he pushed me aside, losing my nerve.
Sam's hands curled around my arms, pulling me away from Dean.
A brief flash of guilt passed over Dean's face, but it was gone so fast I was sure I imagined it.
"We're gonna put her out of her misery," Dean huffed. "Sam, finish it."
Sam paused, looking from me to Dean.
"Finish it," Dean hissed.
Sam took a breath and kept going.
"Dominicos sanctae ecclesiae, terogamus audi nos, terribilis deus do sanctuario suo deus israhel. Ipse tribuite virtutem et fortitudinem plebi suae, benedictus deus, gloria patri..."
Meg threw her head back and screamed.
The demon left through her mouth in a black cloud, billowing up to the ceiling, finally disappearing.
Meg leaned forward, a thin trickle of blood dripping from her mouth.
We stood there, unsure.
Was it really over?
Meg slowly lifted her head.
"She's still alive," I breathed out in shock.
"Call 911," Dean told Bobby.
I dashed out of the room, gathering an armful of blankets, hooking a jug of water on my free arm.
Dean and Sam untied Meg.
"Thank you," She spoke in a choked whisper.
"Ssh, shh," I spoke quietly. "Just take it easy, all right?"
"Come on, let's get her down," Dean said.
They lifted Meg from the chair.
I distinctly heard the sound of bones snapping.
Meg screamed in pain.
Dean and Sam lowered her to the floor.
"Sorry, sorry," Sam tried to be gentle. "I got you. It's okay."
She strained to speak. "A year."
"What?"
"It's been a year," A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Ssh," I cautioned her. "Just take it easy."
"I've been awake for some of it," Meg coughed. "I couldn't move my own body. The things I did- it's a nightmare."
"Was it telling us the truth about Dad?"
"Dean!" I looked at him in disbelief.
"We need to know," Dean fixed me with a look.
"Yes," Meg closed her eyes. "But it wants….. you to know….that….they want you to come for him."
Dean pinched the bridge of his nose.
"If Dad's still alive, none of that matters."
I held her head up, attempting to make her drink.
"Where is the demon we're looking for?" Sam asked softly.
"Not there," Meg spat out blood. "Other ones. Awful ones."
"Where are they keeping him?" Dean looked at her searchingly.
Meg's breaths were harsh and labored.
"By the river. Sunrise."
"'Sunrise.' What does that mean? What does that mean?"
Dean received no answer.
Meg's eyes rolled back in her head.
I stared at her still form for a second, then backed away from Dean.
"She's dead," I blinked hard. "I told you not to do it!"
I ran from the room.
~Supernatural~
"Stay here, all right?" Sam pinned me with his gaze. "If we're not back by tomorrow, call Bobby. He'll take care of you."
Dean slapped down the number on the table in the hotel room.
They left.
I buried my head in my hands.
I had a bad feeling they were going to their deaths.
But how was I to stop them?
Time passed.
My unease grew as night fell.
I was just about to throw caution to the winds and find them, when the door banged open.
Dean and Sam struggled inside, supporting an obviously injured John.
I leapt up at once as John sat down heavily on the bed.
Dean seemed unharmed, but Sam's face was a mess, bloody and bruised.
I searched for a cold compress, ignoring Sam's attempts to shake me off as I pressed it against his cheek.
"Thanks," He smiled warmly.
Dean lined the doors and windows with salt, watching carefully as John left the room.
"He just needs a little rest, that's all," Dean answered Sam's unspoken question.
He looked at the compress in my hand. "How are you?"
"I'll survive," Sam winced as I increased the pressure.
He looked at Dean uncertainly.
"Hey, uh….. Dean, you, um…. you saved my life back there."
I looked up sharply.
That explained the cuts.
Dean snorted. "Guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?"
Sam glowered at him. "Man, I'm trying to thank you here."
Dean's lip pulled up a little. "You're welcome."
Sam walked across the room.
"Hey, Sam?"
He turned around. "Yeah?"
"You know the guy I shot? There was a person in there."
Sam sighed. "You didn't have a choice, Dean."
"Yeah, I know," Dean looked at me strangely, probably remembering what I'd said to him earlier. "That's not what bothers me."
"Then what does?"
"Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn't hesitate, I didn't even flinch. For you or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill…. It scares me sometimes."
Sam didn't know what to say.
"It shouldn't," John re-entered the room. "You did good."
"You're not mad?" Dean's tone was incredulous.
"For what?"
"Using a bullet," Dean waited.
"Mad?" John laughed. "I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you- you watch out for this family. Always have."
It clearly wasn't what Dean was expecting.
"Thanks."
The wind suddenly picked up, and the lights in the room started flickering.
"It found us," John tensed. "It's here."
"The demon?" Sam whirled around towards the window.
"Sam, salt lines."
"Dean already did it," Sam gestured toward the door.
"Well, check it, okay?"
"Okay."
Sam left the room.
"Dean, you got the gun?"
"Yeah," Dean pulled it out of his jeans.
"Give it to me."
Dean paused. "Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared."
"This is me." John held out his hand. "I won't miss. Now, the gun, hurry."
Dean hesitated and looked down at the gun.
"Son, please."
Dean started backing up a few steps, tugging me along.
I looked at him in confusion.
"Give me the gun," John frowned. "What are you doing, Dean?"
"He'd be furious," Dean shot John a calculating look.
"What?"
"That I wasted a bullet," Dean continued. "He wouldn't be proud of me, he'd tear me a new one."
Dean raised the gun and cocked it at him.
"You're not my dad."
~Supernatural~
I looked back and forth.
"Dean, it's me," John pleaded.
"I know my dad better than anyone," Dean took a deep breath. "And you ain't him."
"What the hell's gotten into you?" John demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing," Dean aimed the gun at him.
"Stay back."
Sam walked into the room, freezing in his tracks as he saw Dean with the gun.
"Dean? What the hell's going on?"
"Your brother's lost his mind," John kept his eyes on the gun.
"He's not Dad," Dean pushed me behind him.
"What?"
"I think he's possessed," Dean circled John.
"I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."
"Don't listen to him, Sammy," John looked at him.
Sam ignored him. "Dean, how do you know?"
Dean was fighting back tears.
I was shocked.
Dean never cried.
"He's…. he's different."
"You know, we don't have time for this," John moved slightly to the left.
"Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me."
Sam tore his gaze from one to the other.
Dean glanced at him, but did not say a word.
"Sam?"
"No." Sam moved over to stand by Dean's side.
After a moment's pause, so did I.
I trusted Dean implicitly.
John stared at us impassively.
"Fine. You're all so sure, go ahead. Kill me."
He looked down.
The gun shook in Dean's hand.
He couldn't pull the trigger.
"I thought so."
He looked back up.
John's eyes were yellow.
Sam lunged, but he sent us crashing against the wall.
The Colt clattered to the floor.
He picked it up.
"What a pain in the ass this thing's been," The demon glanced at it, satisfied.
"It's you, isn't it? We've been looking for you for a long time." Sam's eyes burned with loathing.
"Well," It shrugged. "You found me."
"But the holy water?"
It scoffed. "You think something like that's gonna work on me?"
I struggled against his control, but I could not move.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam fought against him, but, like me, he failed.
"Oh, that'd be a neat trick," The demon snickered.
"In fact," He put the gun down on a table.
"Here. Move the gun to you, psychic boy."
It did not move.
He walked over to me, gripping my chin in his hands.
"But, then again, I've forgotten you, haven't I?" He held me tighter. "You could do it, too. You're probably going to become even stronger, from what my little birdies tell me."
I blinked at him, trying to make the gun come to me.
It was motionless.
"Well, this is fun," It moved to Dean.
"I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this…." He sighed.
"This is worth the wait."
Dean struggled, but was still pinned to the wall.
It looked over to him.
"Your dad- he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meatsuit. He says 'hi', by the way."
He grinned manically.
"He's gonna tear you apart. Daddy is going to taste the iron in your blood."
"Let him go," Dean spat. "Or I swear to God-"
"What?" The demon started laughing.
"What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice."
He came over to Dean.
"You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."
"Who, Meg?" Dean raised an eyebrow.
"The one in the alley? That was my boy, you understand?"
"You've got to be kidding me," Dean kicked against the wall futilely.
"What? You're the only one who can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?"
It smiled.
"Oh, wait, I already did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch," Dean's eyes smoldered with hate.
"I wanna know why," Sam clenched his teeth. "Why'd you do it?"
He turned to Sam.
"You mean why did I kill Mommy and pretty little Jess?"
"Yeah."
He turned back to Dean. "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him."
He backed up towards Sam.
"Been shopping for rings and everything."
It faced Sam, finally. "You want to know why? Because they got in the way."
"In the way of what?"
"My plans for you, Sammy. You… and all the children like you."
He suddenly snapped back to me.
"And I've forgotten you again, haven't I? Personally, you're too pure for my taste."
He stroked my cheek.
"Makes me feel sick. But you could be extremely useful, if you chose our side. After all, you've more potential than Sammy has, now don't you?"
"Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh?"
Dean tipped his head back.
It went to him.
"Funny, but that's all part of your M.O, isn't it? Masks all the nasty pain, masks the truth."
"Oh, yeah?" Dean glared at him. "What's that?"
The demon put it's head on one side. "
You know, you fight and fight for this family, but the truth is, they don't need you. 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. "
Dean sneered tightly.
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em."
Dean smiled.
The demon stepped back, putting his head down.
When he lifted his head, Dean yelled in pain.
"Dean!" I was horrified.
"Dean! No!"
Sam couldn't move as the blood gushed down Dean's chest.
"Dad!" Dean's voice cracked. "Dad, don't you let it kill me!"
My eyes unfocused.
Dean was about to die, and I couldn't let that happen.
There was a strange ringing in my ears.
The table crashed against John.
There was utter silence.
It seemed unaffected as it walked over to me.
"Look at that, I was right," He fondled my hair. "You are stronger. You know, those demons that followed you, those were mine. That gas leak? No accident."
I stared at him, refusing to believe it.
"No."
"Oh, yes," He grinned at me. "That boy you were so fond of? I was responsible for that too."
No.
This meant everything was my fault.
Rage ran through me.
"You bastard."
The sudden urge to make him hurt like I was flooded through me.
"Your family's gone too."
I knew what was coming now.
I screamed as agony like I'd never known attacked me, my throat stretched bloody and raw.
Blood trickled out of my mouth.
"Odette! No!"
I could not answer either of their shouts.
"Dad!"
The demon turned to Dean again.
He screamed.
"Dean! No!"
Blood ran freely down both of us.
I didn't know who was shouting louder, Sam or me.
"Dad, please." Dean passed out.
"Dean!"
"Stop," John whispered.
We suddenly fell to the ground.
"Stop it."
Sam dived for the gun, grabbing it as John turned to him, eyes once again yellow.
Sam aimed it at him.
"You kill me, you kill Daddy," He sneered.
"I know." Sam shot it in the leg.
Both of them fell down.
Sam ran to Dean, lifting me up along the way.
"Dean? Odette?"
We were both too weak to answer him.
"Oh God, you've lost a lot of blood."
Dean was stronger.
"Where's Dad?"
"He's right here. He's right here, Dean."
"Go check on him."
"Dean." Sam did not move.
"Go check on him!" Dean repeated.
Sam got up.
John was motionless on the floor.
"Dad? Dad?"
John suddenly looked up. "Sammy! It's still alive. It's inside me, I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me in the heart, son!"
Sam aimed the gun at John.
"Do it now!"
Dean tried to move. "Sam, don't you do it."
His eyes were wet again. "Don't you do it!"
"You've gotta hurry!"
There was no mistaking the urgency in John's voice.
"I can't hold on much longer! You shoot me! Shoot me, son, I'm begging you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"
"Sam, no," Dean pleaded.
"You do this!" John yelled. "Sammy! Sam!"
The demon suddenly left John, black expelling from his mouth into the floor.
John stared at Sam accusingly.
~Supernatural~
I tried to muffle my moan of pain as Sam drove the Impala, John by his side.
Dean was slumped next to me.
"Kid?" He blearily opened an eye.
"Fine," I managed to choke out.
He was hurt far worse than I was.
"Look, just hold on, alright?" Sam stepped down on the pedal.
"The hospital's just ten minutes away."
"I'm surprised at you, Sammy," John kicked his seat with his good leg.
"Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing the demon comes first- before me, before everything."
Sam looked in the rear view mirror at us.
"No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we've still got the Colt. We have one bullet left. We just have to-"
An eighteen-wheeler suddenly slammed into the Impala at full speed, sending us careening sideways.
I saw the driver behind the wheel.
His eyes were black.
My last thought was of Castiel.
Not even he could help us now.