Hi! Once again, I owe you all an apology for not being able to get out another chapter for so long. This semester is over next week so hopefully I'll be able to dedicate more time to writing after that (at least for a couple of months)! In the meantime, here's the next bit! I'm hoping to get the next chapter done tomorrow as well so we can wrap this episode up! As always, I hold no ownership over anything SPN. I own Ariella and her journey alone. With that said, I hope you enjoy! Xoxo-NickyLynn
The two Winchesters and Ariella had gone back to Roy's church later that evening, knowing that if they didn't manage to bring a stop to things, another victim would be claimed by the Reaper. "We need to split up." Ariella was saying as Dean stopped the engine. "Sam should go check things out inside and see if he can't find that alter. Dean, you slip into the service and be prepared to stop it if things go sideways."
"And you'll be doing what exactly?" Dean asked, turning to give her a questioning look.
"I'll be doing what I can to protect our next victim in case plan A and B fail." She said, pointing between the two men in the front seat.
"Uh-huh. And how do you expect to do that exactly?" he asked skeptically. "We don't even know who the next victim is."
"We do, though." Ariella said, reaching across the seat to point out the front window. Dean and Sam both followed her line of sight, their gazes settling on the same protester who had been causing a scene at the previous service. "David Wright." She said, pulling their confused gazes back onto her. She slipped her hand into her jacket, tugging out the small occult book. She flipped it open, pulling out one of the newspaper articles which had been tucked between the pages. "Roy's not choosing his victims at random." She explained, handing the article about David Wright across the seat as she held up the stack of other cut-outs. "Gay teachers….pro-life supports…people trying to oust his church as a cult—" she said, tipping her head towards the man outside. "Roy's targeting those he finds immoral and corrupt."
"So, he's actually playing God." Dean scoffed.
"Either way we put a stop to it tonight." Sam stated with a nod, voice dropping low with resolution. "Ari's right. We need to split up. I'll go sneak inside and see if I can find anything while you keep an eye on things from inside that tent."
"And if things go sideways?" Dean asked, eyes sliding over to Sam questioningly.
"Improvise." Sam offered with a shrug before pushing his door open and getting out.
Dean let out a frustrated groan before letting his eyes slide back onto Ariella. "And what is the plan if that Reaper does go after David?" he asked with a raised brow, having no idea how she planned on protecting him from the powerful supernatural force.
Ariella offered a shrug of her own. "Improvise." She said, echoing Sam's previous statement. With that, she pushed her own door open before slipping out. Honestly, she had no idea what she was going to do if things came down to her standing between the Reaper and LeGrange's next victim. There were no weapons you could use against Death itself. She would be damned if she would let Roy kill someone else without putting up a fight though.
Dean quickly slid out of the Impala as she moved past his door, eyes sliding onto Sam briefly as he stood, watching as he moved towards the house. "Hurry up." Ariella called back to him as she trekked through the muddy lot. "The service should be starting any minute now." Dean pulled his eyes away from Sam's back as he shut his door, quickly moving to catch up with Ariella as she made her way towards the protestor marked for death.
"Roy LeGrange is a fraud!" he was calling out to the few people left trickling towards the make-shift church. "He is no healer!"
"I'll do my best to stall Roy." Dean passed along quietly to Ariella as she headed for David, instead heading towards the open flap to the tent for himself.
Ariella's eyes flicked towards Dean as he steered himself towards the church before letting her eyes fall back on David. His own gaze had settled on her as she strode closer. "Please! Don't fall for this man's lies." He said, directing the desperate statement towards her.
"Preach." She called back as she came to a stop before him, eyes sliding towards the tent just as Dean slipped inside.
"Do you doubt these miracles as well?" he asked, voice colored in surprise as her gaze fell back on him.
"I think these 'miracles' are atrocities wrapped in shiny packaging." She answered honestly. "And I think you're in a lot of danger right now, David."
"How do you know my name?" he asked, brows creasing together as his eyes moved up and down the length of her skeptically.
Ariella's eyes fell back on the tent as the sound of Roy's voice echoed through the speaker system, signaling the commencement of the service. "Look, I don't really have the time to explain." She said quickly, eyes sweeping back over to David. "You're right about Roy and I think something's going to be coming after you because of it."
"I do not fear Roy LeGrange." He declared with a shake of his head. "He can use the local officers to try to run me off this property as many times as he likes. I'll keep coming back as many times as it takes for people to realize he's scamming them out of their hard-earned money."
"It's not Roy LeGrange you should fear." Ariella told him lowly. "Look, I know it's not going to make much sense, but I've got strong reason to believe Roy's going to be sending something dangerous after you today. Something that's going to try taking your life."
David's confused eyes morphed into sheer bewilderment. "You think Roy's trying to kill me?" he asked.
"Something like that." She responded with a deep sigh.
David stared at her in shock for a moment before he pulled his eyes away with a shake of his head. "R-right." He said before trying to step around her. "Look, the service has already started so I should be going—"
"David, you have to believe me." Ariella said, moving alongside him as he tried walking away.
"I don't know what this is, but I think I'll just go now." He said, doing his best to keep his eyes on the cars ahead of them as he continued to try escaping the odd conversation.
"David, wait—" Ariella urged, reaching forward to latch onto his wrist and pull him to a stop. David swung around as she pulled against him, mouth dropping open to no-doubt cast more skepticism towards her, but the words never came. Instead, his eyes flicked behind her shoulder, face suddenly draining of color.
Ariella didn't need to turn around to know what had caught his attention. A chill had crept up her spine, sending her hair standing on end as he felt her insides twist in uneasiness. She turned her head regardless, finding the same older man in a black suit from before standing a few yards behind her. She could hear a surge of clapping and excited shouts filtering out from the tent, and she knew Roy had begun his next miracle. "David—" she said as her heart rate began kicking into overdrive, eyes glued to the Reaper's missing ones. "I need you to run now."
"What is that thing?" he asked, voice coming out in a high-pitched tone as his own fear began to swirl into life.
The Reaper took a step towards them, and Ariella wasted no more time. "Run." She urged again, prying her eyes away as she pushed her feet into action, using the hand still wrapped around David's wrist to pull him along as she took off in a run. David stumbled along with her, the two of them weaving through the rows of vehicles as they tried outrunning the creature.
"It's following us!" he shouted in fear as they ran. Ariella chanced a quick glance over her shoulder at that, catching sight of the Reaper walking after them with hurried and determined steps. Ariella pulled her eyes away as she continued dragging David away, quickly freeing her phone from her jacket pocket before bringing it up to her ear.
"Yeah?" came Sam's hushed answer after the first ring.
"Sam, it's here!" she shouted back over the line, feeling her heart surging into the back of her throat. "You've got to find whatever's tethering it! NOW!"
"What?!" Sam responded, voice raising in worry. "Ari, there's nothing here!" he responded, sounding just as frantic as her now. "I need more time!"
"We ain't got time, Sam!" she told him, eyes flicking behind her again to find the Reaper closing on in them. "Call Dean!" she instructed then. "PLAN B!"
She could hear Sam let out a curse as she shoved the phone back into her pocket before pushing her feet to carry her faster. She knew there was no point in trying to fight death…she just hoped she could outrun it long enough until Dean stopped things from inside. As she and David hit the edge of the property, however, coming around the edge of a large RV, an involuntary yell fell past her lips as she came face-to-face with the gray-skinned being.
She pushed David behind her, instinctively placing herself between him and the Reaper as she back peddled away from the harbinger of death. Unfortunately for her, things only got worse as David stumbled over his own feet, sending himself tumbling to the ground behind her.
"GET UP!" She yelled as her wide, frantic eyes fell on him. She tried hauling him back up onto his feet, but his eyes had become glued to the Reaper stalking closer, body going rigid with fear.
"Oh my God." He breathed out in a whisper as his muscles froze.
Ariella's eyes swept back up to the Reaper, finding him hovering over her. He was so close now she could practically feel the coldness radiating from his body. Her mind flicked to Dean suddenly, willing him to stop Roy. As the Reaper took another step closer, however, she began to worry he would not intervene quick enough. "Stop!" she yelled at the thing, mind grappling for ideas.
The Reaper's scared face seemingly fell on her as she planted herself between the two, coming to a stop as it regarded her with its empty orbits. Behind her, David had begun screaming in fear, calling out in desperate pleas for help.
"ARI!" Sam's voice called out above his screams, having seemingly caught sight of them and rushing closer.
Ariella, however, couldn't seem to pry her eyes away from the Reaper. She couldn't explain it, but it was like she could feel its presence brushing against her mind….and she knew it sounded crazy, but she swore she could hear a voice echoing around the depths of her mind…as quiet as a whisper being carried by the breeze. Free me… she could hear. From...her.
Sam was rushing up behind her before she had time to process what the voice was saying, pulling its focus over to him instead. "Where is it?!" he yelled, eyes bouncing around in panic.
"Right there!" Ariella shouted back as the Reaper took another step closer, hand lifting towards David as it reset it's focus on his victim.
"WHERE?!" Sam yelled again as he pried David back up to his feet, trying to haul him away while figuring out where the Reaper was.
"It doesn't matter! Just run!" she yelled before turning and giving the two men a strong shove. They took off in a run again, and, as they did, Ariella's phone went off. She pulled it out and quickly brought it up to her ear as she watched Dean's name flash across the screen.
"I stopped Roy." He told her.
Ariella spun around at the statement, eyes searching for the Reaper. When she couldn't see it, a small wave of relief washed over her as she slowed to a stop. "Sam!" she called out as she turned back around. "Dean stopped the service! I think it's over!" Sam and David slowed to a stop as well before the three of them spun around, looking for the threat. Upon seeing nothing, Ariella let out a sigh as she caught eyes with an equally-relieved Sam. "Cutting it a little close there, don't you think?" she then huffed into the receiver, upset that things had been so close.
"You told me to improvise!" Dean defended.
Just as Ariella was about to shoot a quip back at Dean, David let out a yell, causing her to spin around in sudden alarm. The Reaper wasn't gone. It was standing over David, hands wrapping around his head. "It's still here!" she yelled in panic, watching as David's skin began draining of color, eyes glazing over as he dropped to his knees.
"WHAT?" Dean yelled back in worry.
"Dean, the Reaper's still coming for him!" she shouted, feeling helpless as she watched it begin taking his life.
"What do you mean the Reaper's still coming for him?!" Dean asked in panic. "I stopped Roy!"
"Well, clearly it didn't work!" She shouted back as she watched Sam drop down next to David, desperately trying to protect him from something they were helpless against. "Maybe it wasn't Roy who was controlling it!" she said then before a sudden thought occurred to her and her mind began to reel. "Her…" she said in a near-whisper, putting the pieces together. "It said her." She said again before her eyes snapped back towards the tent as everything fell into place in her mind. "Dean, it's Sue Ann!" she yelled. "It was his wife!"
She heard Dean mutter something in response before the line went dead. Her eyes snapped back towards the Reaper, and, in the next moment, he pulled his hands away from David as Dean, presumably, stopped Sue Ann. He took a few steps backwards as David sucked in a sharp breath, color returning as the Reaper moved away. The Reaper's focus settled on Ariella for a moment before he vanished completely, leaving her practically sagging in relief. The relief was short-lived, however, as she caught sight of Dean being pushed outside by two police officers. She shared a brief look with Sam as he ensured David was okay before taking off towards the tent.
She wasn't sure what Dean had done to interfere with the service, but everyone who had previously been inside was now crowded around the lot, eyes flicking over to where Dean was being forced out of the tent in confusion. He was being held tightly between the two officers, facing an upset Sue Ann. Ariella couldn't hear what she was saying to Dean as she made her way over to the scene, but judging by the look marring Dean's face it wasn't anything good. "Hey!" Ariella called out as she made it to the small group, pulling Sue Ann's eyes onto her as she stepped up beside them. "Unless you plan on arresting him, I suggest you let him go." She seethed at the officers, eyes sweeping over the bruising grips they had on either of his arms.
Sue Ann's gaze moved back onto Dean with a shake of her head. "You can let him go." Sue Ann instructed the officers. "I'm not going to press charges. The Lord will deal with him as…he sees fit." With that, she stormed away, leaving Dean and Ariella to glare at her retreating back.
"If we catch you around here again, boy, we'll put the fear of God in you." One of the officers said to Dean then, pulling their focus away from the woman. "You understand?"
"Was that a threat?" Ariella asked lowly, dark eyes settling on the man next to Dean.
"Consider it a warning." He responded with a sneer before giving Dean a shove, sending him stumbling towards Ariella.
Ariella could feel her lip pulling back over her teeth as she stared at the man, having to ball her hands into tight fists as she fought off the urge to strike him hard enough in the nose to break it. "Come on." Dean said after gaining his footing again, grabbing onto her arm to pull her away. "We've got bigger problems." He said just loud enough for her to hear.
Ariella let him pull her along before she finally pried her eyes away from the men who had man-handled Dean, only to find someone else stepping up in front of them, causing the two of them to come to a stop yet again. "Why would you do that?!" An irate woman with chopped blonde hair demanded, directing a great deal of anger at Dean. "He was about to save my daughter!" she yelled at him. "He was going to save my Layla!" Ariella's eyes bounced from the older woman, to the younger one around her and Dean's age, standing just behind her. She vaguely remembered seeing the two of them at the service Dean was healed at and had to guess she had been the person LeGrange was attempting to heal before Dean stopped him. "We've waited years for this chance, and you stole it from us!"
"That man is not a healer." Dean responded, knowing there was no way to defend himself without sounding insane.
"He healed you, didn't he?" the woman countered with a shake of her head. "Why do you deserve to be saved and my daughter doesn't?" she demanded.
"Look, I know it doesn't seem fair and I wish I could explain, but LeGrange is not the answer." Dean told her as his eyes wept over to the woman he had stopped the healing of. "I'm sorry." He said, the apology sounding genuine.
"You don't deserve what he did for you." The mother spit at Dean before her daughter stepped forward, wrapping er arms around her side before trying to push her along.
"Come on, Mom." Layla said, trying to end the tense interaction. "There's no use in being angry about it."
Ariella and Dean watched them walk away, Dean's shoulders practically slumping in on themselves as his eyes followed them. Ariella knew Dean well enough to be able to decipher the look that had taken over his features….guilt. "Don't let your mind travel down that road, Dean." She told him quietly, knowing he was probably throwing a horde of hateful remarks at himself internally. "An innocent man would be dead in her place right now if you hadn't stopped it."
Dean's eyes sliced over to her, anger pooling alongside the guilt. "So, it's okay when it's my life on the line, but not when it's an innocent woman dying of a brain tumor? You don't see the double-standard in that?"
Ariella's jaw tensed as she contemplated that. It was true…if it had been Dean in Layla's place…even if she had known it was a Reaper trading lives prior to bringing him here…she would have let it happen regardless. She would always choose to save Dean…regardless of the consequences. "Come on." She said instead, ignore his remark. "Let's get out of here before those cops decide to arrest us."
They made their way back through the parking lot in a tense silence then, passing by Layla and her mom again as they stood speaking with Roy and Sue Ann. Ariella's ears tuned into their conversation just as Roy was promising to conduct a private healing session later that evening, causing the pit in her stomach to return with vengeance. Her and Dean shared a look as they walked past, both of them realizing that their job was far from over….and now immensely more complicated.
They met up with Sam before getting out of there, knowing they had to regroup before Roy and Sue Ann attempted to heal Layla again. No more than an hour later, Ariella was laying back on the single bed of their motel room, staring up at the peeling and cracked ceiling as they worked through their next step.
"So, you're telling me it was his wife this whole time?" Sam was asking, eyes flicking between her on the bed and Dean standing next to the window.
"Makes sense." Ariella said with a shrug, eyes dropping down to where he was sitting at the foot of the bed. "I mean, I think we both know just how desperate someone can become when it comes to saving the life of someone they care about. She was just trying to save her husband."
"But why keep doing it?" he asked in confusion. "Why keep trading lives?"
"Maybe she really thinks she's doing God's work." Ariella supplied with another shrug before pushing herself back up until she was sitting.
"You think Roy's in on it?" Sam asked then.
"Not likely." Dean answered. "I don't think he's got any clue what his wife's up to."
"So, he really believes he's performing miracles?" Sam surmised.
"Seems like it." Ariella breathed out with a sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair. "And I don't think that Reaper's any happier about this whole thing than we are." She added with a frown.
"What makes you say that?" Sam asked with furrowed brows.
Ariella let her eyes drift to the stained carpet for a moment as she recalled her brief interaction with the Reaper. "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear that thing talked to me." She admitted with a shake of her head.
"What?" Dean asked, voice dipping with surprise as he took a step forward. "You serious?"
Ariella brought her eyes back up to him, giving a nod in response. "I think it wants to be freed from her." She explained. "Who knows…maybe if we break whatever spell she has over it, it will turn on her."
"I'm telling you, I didn't see any alter in there." Sam insisted with a shake of his head.
"And you had a solid ten minutes to look." Ariella countered with an arched brow. "We need to go back and find it."
"Well, whatever we do, we have to do it soon." Dean said, pulling his arms up across his chest. "Roy'll be healing Layla within the next few hours."
"Then we get back there and tear that house apart until we find the alter and destroy it before he does." Sam said with a nod.
Ariella pushed herself up from the bed then, eyes flicking between the two men. "We've got a Reaper to stop."