CHAPTER 15

Ocracoke Museum

Sam finished shoving the cheap desk aside and Casey instantly knelt and pulled up a floorboard. Crouching down next to her, Sam shook his head and said, "Great. It looks like she went and just ordered the Witches Starter Kit for Dummies."

"At least these books aren't warded." Casey said, lifting two books out from the small library. She handed one to Sam and started flipping through them. "If we can find a spell to reverse what Matilda did…"

"We're going to need the original spell." Sam said, staring down at the various objects that Matilda had arranged below the floorboards. He looked up at Casey as lightning flashed outside and said, "This is some intense magic, Casey. Without the original spell, I'm not sure we can make a reversal spell work. There are reversal spells in this book, but..."

"They're useless without knowing the original spell. I know." Casey nodded, "Find a generic binding spell if you can." She poked around Matilda's storage locker of witchcraft and said, "If we can bind the spirits and then begin the reversal spell, we should still be able to make this work. I just need time to get back on that ship and break through the warding."

Shaking his head, he grabbed her wrist as she started to stand. He said, "While you're also trying to hold back all the violent and psychopathic spirits aboard that ship."

"Exactly!" Casey grinned. "They won't even know I'm there. I'll shield myself so I can just snatch and grab the spellbook."

Sam stood up up with her and hoped he could convince her of another way. Because he had a bad feeling about what he knew she was thinking. He said, "I'm totally confident in your angelic abilities, Casey, but if these spirits are as powerful as you already said they are…"

"I can do it, Sam."

For a moment, they stood silently staring at each other. He could see the determination and frustration in her eyes. Knowing how much Dean had been smothering her with his concern, Sam tried not to do that. He said, "Casey. It's going to take time for you to get past the warding, right?"

"Which is why you're going to use the binding spell to get all of the spirits ready to be sent back to the deep. Together." Casey said, smiling up at him. "Sam, it will be fine. I promise. You get that spell done and by the time you're finished, I'll be past the warding and then I can work the reversal on the original spell."

"Then let's go together." Sam said, closing the spellbook. "You keep the ghosts off our back and work the binding spell and I'll get the warded spellbook."

Casey shook her head, "The binding spell...Sam you need to be here." She motioned to Matilda's hidden supplies. "Trying to work that kind of magic on a flaming ghost ship...it just won't work. Ok? I can do this. Don't worry about your brother. I'll handle him."

Sam shook his head, thinking of every one of the thousand ways this could go wrong. He said, "If I screw up, you're…"

"You won't screw up."

"You better get back off that ship, Dr. Economou or my brother is going to kill me." Sam said, knowing that if Dean were around this whole discussion would be going a lot differently.

Casey grinned, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "Don't worry Sam, I'll get off the ship. Maybe we'll get this accomplished without Dean even knowing."

"We can only hope." Sam said, feeling gnawing worry about what he and Casey were planning as well as a growing concern for his brother and Bennett.

"When I'm on that ship…" Casey said, "I won't be able to make contact. The spirit activity, it's beyond belief. I probably won't be able to hear you if you call me."

"I don't like it." Sam said, trying and failing to think of an alternative.

"If Dean shows up, just tell him I'll let him rescue me next time." Casey grinned and disappeared.

Wishing he felt as confident as she seemed, Sam knelt in front of Matilda's supplies and began gathering the items he would need to complete the spell.

Gary Darvill's House

The pain ripping through his right leg blinded him to all thought. A shout of pain tore from his throat as he flopped heavily onto the ground next to Bennett. He fired at the ghost as he lay there, one hand instinctively reaching toward his knee. Dean had been shot plenty of times before. But you don't get immune to it, he thought bitterly, blinking through the driving rain, trying to find the spirit that had just shot him.

"Sie sollten tot geblieben, Fritz. Ihr Verrat sank unser Schiff!" A voice shouted from somewhere to his left.

Dean didn't know much German, but he recognized the language and no translation app was needed to tell him the spectral sailor suddenly pointing the pistol at his face was furious. Trying to think past the shredding pain in his leg, Dean fired again, but the spirit was quick. The ghost continued to spout angry words at him as Dean tried to keep him in his sights.

He shot the apparition and didn't even feel that relieved when it vanished. Because it was hard to think past the fact a bullet recently passed straight through his thigh and Bennett hadn't so much as twitched. Dean dizzily pushed himself upright, nearly passing out in the process and grabbed the container of salt from where it had fallen. Left hand pressed against his leg, he rushed to create a less than perfect salt ring around them. It wasn't going to do much in the long run, or even in the short run, he decided, watching the rain already soaking the salt into the mud.

Pressing both his hands against the hole in his bleeding leg, Dean looked around. Other than the ferocious storm, nothing was happening and nothing was moving. The car was agonizingly far away; probably a whole ten yards. Looking at the river of blood under his leg, he gritted his teeth. Because he didn't have a choice. There was no option. He wasn't going to lay there in the mud while a freakin' ghost got the upper hand.

Fumbling in his coat pocket for his phone, he felt the dizziness double and the next thing he knew, he was staring up at the sky wondering what had happened and why he felt so crappy. He wasn't sure how long he lay there before he remembered the phone. Lifting it, he felt the defeat threatening to overcome him when he saw there was no signal at all. Head tilting to the right, he stared at Bennett's ghastly pale face. He wasn't sure she was still breathing and the terrible unfairness of it all hit him like a ton of bricks.

Dean had watched the love of Sam's life die once before and he'd be damned if he was going to watch that happen again. Summoning a reserve of strength he didn't know he had, Dean pressed his hand to Bennett's arm and shook her as hard as he could.

"Bennett! You gotta wake up." Dean said, "Wake up and I'll let you drive."

"Really?"

Seeing Bennett's eyes blearily blinking against the falling rain, Dean lifted his right hand to shield her eyes from the rain and said, "You with me?"

"What happened?" Bennett whispered, trying her hardest to uncross her eyes enough to look at him.

"You got hit by a tree."

"Owwww…." Bennett moaned, shifting slightly and going three shades paler.

"Bennett? What hurts?"

"Head. Side." She clumsily cradled her left arm in her right hand. "Where're we?"

Dean decided they could catch up later. He had other priorities at the moment; namely not bleeding to death. He said, "Bennett, I need you to trust me, ok?"

"Yeah."

"We need to get out of here. I'll tell you everything later." Dean said, trying gently to get her sitting up. He hated moving her, but they were out of options. "Can you get up?"

Bennett answered by nodding her head once and promptly throwing up all over the ground; narrowly missing his legs. Dean almost lost his own battle with nausea, but forced himself to breathe carefully and hold her up until she finished. Hair hanging in her face, Bennett finally straightened and got to her knees, clinging to his shoulder for stability.

And then he was grabbing for his gun and firing it at the face of what looked an awful lot like the dude from Pirates of the Caribbean. The one with the eyeball that always was rolling away. Mentally celebrating his minor victory, Dean glanced back at Bennett.

"You…" She whispered, eyes widening as she caught sight of his leg. "You're...bleeding. You got shot?"

"Just a little." Dean smiled, knowing she knew better. He said, "I'll be fine. We'll be fine. Just need to get out of here. Find Casey."

Dean didn't mention the fact that he hadn't been able to make contact with Casey yet. He reached into his coat pocket and handed her the keys with a shaking, bloody hand. At this point he wasn't sure which one of them was really the better option to drive, but he did know he was losing a lot of blood and that the darkness encroaching on him was getting harder to resist. Dean said, "I'm not going to be able to drive with this leg. You...you're gonna have to do it."

"Ok." Bennett whispered, taking the keys and pushing herself to her feet unsteadily.

"Good girl." Dean said, then clenched his teeth and dragged himself up.

By the time he was clinging to the car, Bennett had the passenger side door open and was crawling through to the other side. Dean fell into the car and lay there with his head on the seat for a long moment. He vaguely heard Bennett fumbling with something and he knew he had to summon the resolve to get his legs into the car. Leaning up on his elbows, Dean reached up and grabbed the back of the seat, dragging himself upright. Gasping, he squeezed his eyes closed and put both his hands around his knee in order to pull his leaking leg into the car.

Getting the door closed, Dean crumbled forward, head resting on the dashboard and his arms hanging limply by his legs as he tried to hang on to consciousness. He knew he should try to wrap the wound, but at the moment, he couldn't even move.

A few seconds passed, then he heard the comforting thrum of the engine as Bennett started the car. Warm, welcoming numbness was calling his name and he smiled as he felt himself sliding closer to the abyss. As he tumbled into darkness, Dean regretted not jumping into unconsciousness a few moments sooner. Because, even unconscious, he was going to be dwelling on the last thing he heard Bennett say before he faded out.

"Dean?" Bennett sounded oddly calm considering the circumstances. "Probably now's not the time to remind you that I don't know how to drive, is it?"

The Flaming Ship of Ocracoke

Casey wished she could spare the time to search the island for Dean and Bennett. But, standing on the deck of the Flaming Ship, she knew there really was not option. The evil Matilda had, however inadvertently, unlocked was going to destroy the island. And Casey knew none of them would be willing to let her get them off the island while leaving the innocent people of Ocracoke to be destroyed by the angry spirits. So she stood on the deck of the ship, doing what she could to draw the spirits toward the ship while not giving her own presence away yet.

The longer she could remain hidden from the spirits, the better.

Watching the ghosts move along the deck, Casey felt chills running up her spine. She'd

never been truly afraid of ghosts. Not since her mother had sat her down and told her what they were and how to get rid of them. Now, though, she wasn't too proud to admit that she was actually a little scared of them. Because there were so many. Looking beyond the ship, she was able to see what she hadn't even noticed before.

The ghostly armada.

Eyes widening, Casey stared out at the ships and lost count within seconds. As far as she could see, ghost ships were rising from the deep. Schooners, small motor boats, freighters and three masted sailing ships rose from the waters, their ghostly forms flickering in the light of the storm. A U-boat surfaced and Casey almost smiled thinking about what Dean would say if he could see that. Her hands fisted at her sides, she closed her eyes for a moment and pictured his face.

He would be fine. He was fine. There was no reason to expect otherwise. He and Bennett had gone to talk to Gary Darvill and Casey was certain now that the man had nothing to do with any of this. So they were probably safe and sound and headed toward Sam even now. Casey nodded, opening her eyes again and staring at the ships. The only thing Dean and Bennett might run into were a few ghosts. And Dean knew how to handle ghosts. Until this moment, as she took in the sight of a ghost navy, Casey knew she'd never seen as many ghosts as Dean and Sam had in their lifetime.

She'd been raised a huntress, but her mother, and even Uncle Crowley, had done what they could to give her a normal life. Maybe it wasn't as normal as some people, but she'd grown up and gone to school in the same town. Until she'd fled from Jake and his fists, she'd only lived in one place. Now she'd been through Purgatory, defeated the Black Plague and now stood overlooking the most incredible sight she'd ever seen.

"I'm glad you approve."

Casey spun around, heart in her throat and her blade in her hand. Her eyes flashed grey as she met the gaze of a grizzled old man. He smiled at her and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. Captain Malcolm Montgomery. This is my ship, Lady Amelia Carena."

"Nice ship." Casey managed to find her voice. She cast a glance at her watch and knew it was far too early. This wasn't good. He shouldn't have been able to break through her cloaking so easily.

"My power is so much beyond what you can imagine, my dear." Montgomery said with another smile. He said, "That poor dear girl, Matilda was it? She had no idea what she was doing. Well, she did to a certain extent, I suppose. But she had no idea that her little spell would do so much more than bring up a few paltry pieces of wreckage. It awakened us. It unlocked the Graveyard of the Atlantic."

"You ever heard the saying 'what's dead should stay dead'?" Casey asked, tightening her grip on her blade even as she noticed other ghosts were taking notice of their interaction.

Montgomery laughed and said, "Heard it. But don't pay no mind to it, lass. Because we may be dead, but we're not staying that way."

"I'm sorry, Captain Montgomery." Casey said, actually feeling a pang of sympathy for the man. "But I'm here to help you all move on. You don't have to be trapped here anymore."

"Oh but we're not trapped, lass." Captain Montgomery said, stepping closer, "We're exactly where we want to be. Thanks to Matilda, the dead have been given another chance." He motioned to the ocean filled with ghost ships and grinned. "We're going to sail these waters again and take back what once was ours."

Even though a part of her felt bad for the ghosts being brought back like this, Casey could tell that these ghosts weren't interested in simply existing. They were out for vengeance and they didn't much care who they took it out on. Montgomery had moved to the bow of the ship and seemed to be enjoying the sight of the storm destroying the island. Hoping that Sam was having success with the binding spell, she began fighting to cross the deck of the ship. Now that the Captain knew she was aboard, she wouldn't be able to sneak to the cabin.

The mission had just become a lot more complicated.

Road heading to Ocracoke Museum

Bennett was thankful she was observant. Thankful she paid attention. Thankful she had played Mario Kart with Dean a few dozen times back at the bunker. Because that was the only thing that was keeping her on the road. That and the terrifying realization that Dean was crumpled unconscious and bleeding on the seat next to her. Breathing shallowly, she tried to pretend he was just taking a quick nap.

She also tried to pretend she could see the road.

But she couldn't and painting a picture wasn't going to do any good at this point. She wrenched the wheel far too hard to the right and cringed when she heard Dean smack against the passenger side door. Trying to get back on the road, she corrected a bit more gently this time and bumped back onto what she hoped was the street and not the sidewalk. Not that she could tell. In all honesty, she wasn't seeing too well and the merciless pounding in her skull and the stabbing pains in her left side reminded her with every breath that Dean wasn't the only one who needed help.

So she clung to the wheel with what strength she had and hoped Dean would forgive her for whatever damage she was doing to the Impala.

Only by repeating to herself where she was going was she able to remember to go to the museum. And it was a good thing she'd been paying attention when she and Dean had gone to meet Casey and Sam the other day or she never would have found it. It was a miracle she did even then, given the storm and the way the world seemed to turn upside down and inside out every few seconds.

Bennett narrowed her eyes, wondering when she'd become so near-sighted. And then she was slamming on the brakes and gasping in an uneasy breath. The bumper knocked over a park bench, but didn't go through the window of the museum just beyond the bench, so Bennett figured she'd done ok. Of course, with the victory of arriving at the museum came the almost overwhelming desire to close her eyes and sleep.

Hands still on the wheel, her head started to droop. She was about one second from falling into a very welcoming sleep when she heard a shout. The voice sounded familiar and she frowned, trying her hardest to get her head to move upright again so she could see who was hollering her name.

And then the door opened and a rush of rainy, cold air hit her. Recoiling in shock, Bennett almost fell sideways, then strong hands were grabbing her and she managed to open her eyes because the familiar voice was begging her to do so. Blinking in the darkness, she smiled as she finally recognized the worried face in front of hers.

"Sam?"

"Thank God. Bennett," Sam still sounded frantic and he looking past her, even as he was pulling her towards him. "What happened? Come on, we need to get inside."

"Dean…"

"I'll come back for him." Sam said and he sounded so strong and confident about it that Bennett just shrugged and let him lift her into his arms. He asked, "What happened?"

Her eyes weren't working again, Bennett realized when she felt her forehead hit something soft and warm. Listening to his pounding heart, she mumbled, "Dunno."

"Hey, hey, stay with me, Bennett." Sam's voice was getting foggy and far away.

"Staying." She forced a smile, tilting her head up so she could see his face despite the driving rain. "For always."

Sam gave her a quick kiss and said, "You better."

Ocracoke Museum

Sam rushed toward the office, his worry divided in three. He'd been worrying about his brother and Bennett ever since they hadn't responded to his calls earlier. Given the storm and the terrible reception he had when he'd tried to call, he knew that was why he hadn't heard back from them. Now that he saw the state they were in, even his gratitude at seeing them was somewhat diminished by the sight of how badly injured they were. And that wasn't even touching on his concern for Casey.

Let alone Dean's response when he found out Casey wasn't with him.

Easing Bennett down on the floor, he helped her sit back against the edge of the desk, away from the windows and doors. There wasn't much in the museum, less still in the semi-protected office, and calling an ambulance was going to be pointless at this moment. Gently brushing his fingers over her head, he quickly found the gash over her left eye. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but was jagged and bruised looking.

"How are you doing?" Sam asked Bennett, pulling off his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.

She swallowed hard and said, "I'm ok Sam. Go help Dean. He got shot."

"Stay put."

"Nowhere to go." He heard Bennett whisper as he left the room.

He hated to leave her, but knew he needed to get to Dean. His quick glance earlier had shown him that his brother was moving nowhere on his own. Instantly soaked to the skin, he sprinted back to the car and was relieved to see Dean moving clumsily. Breathing a sigh of relief as he opened the passenger side door, he was surprised to find himself staring down the barrel of his brother's gun.

"Easy! It's me!" He said, hands raised.

"Sammy?" Dean sounded as horrible as he looked; bloodshot eyes sized him up as the gun wavered in unsteady hands.

"Yeah, it's me. Take it easy." Sam said, reaching out and grabbing Dean's shoulders to help him upright. Any relief he felt disappeared when he saw his brother's leg. The crimson was pooling on the seat under him. "Oh, man. Dean…."

"Looks worse than it is." Dean muttered, trying to push Sam's hands away.

Sam shot him a look of annoyance and frustration. Stupid big brothers. He said, "Dean, you have a bullet hole in your freakin' leg."

"Not the first time," Dean said, breathing carefully, his free hand fisted on the dashboard. He grabbed Sam's shoulder and pushed himself out of the car, "and unless we retire sometime soon, probably won't be the last either. Get me inside."

"What happened?" Sam asked, supporting Dean's weight.

"Revenge of the Sith."

"What?"
Dean laughed, then grimaced in pain. He said, "Nazi ghosts." Hobbling forward, he asked, "Bennett?"

"Inside, Dean." Sam said, wanting to get Dean inside too. "Come on."

"Hit by a tree."

"What?"

"She got hit by a tree." Dean mumbled, head lowered against his chest as he stumbled forward unsteadily.

Sam gritted his teeth and forced himself to ignore his brother's pained gasps as they moved. By the time they reached the door of the museum, Sam was the only thing keeping Dean upright. He tightened his grip around Dean's chest and slammed the door closed with his free hand, then pulled his brother the last few feet toward the office.

Slamming the office door shut behind them, Sam wasn't able to keep Dean from collapsing to the floor; just barely able to ease his descent.

"Casey?" Dean mumbled, eyes barely focused as they searched the room, then tracked Sam's movement as he eased him down on the floor next to Bennett.

Sam knew better than to hedge. He focused on Dean's leg as he spoke, "She's trying to stop what's going on."

"Wha's'goin'on?" Dean asked, then groaned in pain as Sam tore his jeans.

"Crap, Dean, this is…"

"'s a bullet hole, Sam. Patch it up till Casey gets back."

Sam met his brother's eyes and, despite knowing Casey could fix Dean's leg, Sam was having a hard time not worrying over the bloody mess. It was a through and through and looked like it had missed everything vital. He'd be in pain, and grumpy, but with a bit of pressure and rest, Dean could hold on until Casey got back.

"Sam. Wrap it up." Dean reached up and grabbed his elbow with a bloody hand, "Focus. What's happening?"

"Um…" Sam reached for the white sweater Matilda had been wearing the other day and pressed it against the bloody wound as he briefly summed up everything that had been happening since they'd split up. He watched Dean's face go even paler when he explained where Casey was.

Dean said, "You shouldn't have…"

Sam shook his head in exasperation and said, "I wasn't given a choice, Dean. You know Casey. It was the only way. And she made the decision."

"So what now?" Dean asked weakly, the fight fading from him.

Finishing tying the sweater around his brother's leg, Sam wiped his hands on his own jeans and said, "Now we wait."

"Until three am?" Dean said, struggling to get a glimpse of his watch.

"Twenty minutes." Sam said, glancing at Bennett. She gave him a quick smile and he looked back at Dean and said, "You let her drive your car."

Dean nodded, glaring slightly as he said, "She hit a mailbox."

"The only driving she's ever done is Mario Kart, you know?" Sam grinned.

"Saved our bacon." Dean said, looking up at Sam with a weary expression of pride. Briefly, he recounted what had happened to them at Gary Darvill's house. He tilted his head toward Bennett and added, "Need to learn to duck though."

"I tried." She said, still holding her left arm gingerly. "It was kind of a big tree branch. I'll be ok."

"I know."

"So will Casey, Dean." Sam added, sensing his brother's worry.

Dean looked back at him and nodded, "Soon as I get there to help her she will be."

Sam closed his eyes and willed himself to have patience with his stupid, stubborn brother. He tried to be gentle as he said, "Dean, you're not going anywhere on that leg. You're going to need Casey or Cas to…"

"Tried calling him." Dean interrupted, looking both annoyed and miserable.

"I tried too." Sam said softly. "Casey said the spirit activity on the island was basically messing with communication. Maybe he can't hear us."

"Sammy, I gotta get out there." Dean said, desperation evident in his tone and the look in his eyes. He said, "I'm going to try calling for her. I have to believe she can hear me."

Sam nodded slowly. He knew there wasn't anything else Dean could do, wasn't any way that Dean could even make it out there to the ghost ship on his own, but he also knew that if there was any hope, they had to try anything they could. He knew the chances were slim that Casey would be able to hear Dean, but he crossed his fingers anyway as he heard his brother's voice.

"Casey. Hey. It's me." Dean had his eyes closed, hand gripping his wounded leg. He said desperately, "You need to come back here, babe. I need you off that ship. Please, Echo. Please."

Holding his breath, Sam exchanged a look with his brother and waited.