π»ππ πππππ ππ πππ Impala engine is the only thing heard on the dark road. Dean parks the impala, the trio moving to get out as he opens the trunk. Dean removes three tasers, another supernatural creature on the prowl. "What do you got those amped up to?" Sam asks as Maeve moves around them. "A hundred thousand volts." Maeve and Sam look towards Dean with raised eyebrows in shock. "Damn." They breathe out together, "Yeah, I want this rawhead extra frickin' crispy. And remember, you only get one shot with these things. So make it count." The trio make their way inside the dark abandoned home. Sam and Dean moving down basement stairs with guns and flashlights as Maeve moves around up top. Hearing a noise, the guys move toward a cupboard. Dean turns to Sam, whispering. "On three. One. Two. Three." Dean swings open the door, a young boy and girl are crouched inside, covering their ears. Sam leans down to whisper to the children, who had taken notice of the two men. "Is it still here?" The children nod together.
Dean turns to the boy, "Ok. Grab your sister's hand, come on, we gotta get you out of here. Let's go, let's go." They move towards the stairs. "Alright, go!" Sam starts to take the children upstairs, a hand grabs his legs, knocking him back down. The children scream and run to the top of the stairs, Maeve meets them at the top. "Sam!" The couple shouts together as the kids run into Maeve's arms and Dean shoots the taser, but misses. "Sam, get 'em outta here!" Sam nods, standing up and throwing his taser to Dean. "Here take this!" Sam runs up the stairs and moves the children out of sight. Maeve stands in the doorway for a moment, her face pulled into worry. "Go! I'm right behind you!" He shouts up at her, she nods back and moves to leave. Dean moves around the basement on high alert, shining his torch into corners. "Come on!" A ragged, hairy creature leaps up and shoves Dean backwards. Dean loses his weapons and flashlight as he falls.
He glances around, scrambles across puddles of water to grab the taser and releases it toward the creature as it moves toward him, electrocuting him. Electricity moves from the creature through the water lying on the ground to Dean. They both shake and twitch, the creature falls, Dean loses consciousness. Maeve and Sam both waited for Dean to come out, but he never did, they quickly take off back inside. Running down the stairs and sees Dean in the corner, unmoving. "Dean!" Maeve shouts in horror, her and Sam moving over half lifting him, holding his face. "Dean, hey. Hey." Sam tries to shake Dean awake as Maeve starts to tear up.
"Dean!"
ππππππππ
π―ππππ πππππ ππππππ πππ hospital room, Dean is watching TV, Maeve is sleeping with her head against the bed. She had been up all night making sure he would wake up and when he finally did, she passed out. Dean glances at her with a small smile, his hand tightly wrapped in hers. He is pale and has dark circles under his eyes, Sam enters. Dean keeps his eyes on the TV, a small smirk appears on his face as he speaks up sounding very weak. "Have you ever actually watched daytime TV? It's terrible." Sam shakes his head and sighs at his brother, his eyes moving over Maeve who was slowly waking up. "I talked to your Doctor." Sam spoke up, "That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down." Maeve frowns in sadness as Sam gives his brother a pointed look. "Dean." Dean looks up, sounding resigned and clicking the TV off. "Yeah. All right, well, looks like you're gonna leave town without me."
"What are you talking about? I'm not gonna leave you here." Sam snaps at Dean whose face turns serious. "Hey, you better take care of that car. Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass." Dean grumbles towards his brother as Maeve leans back in her chair, watching them. "I don't think that's funny." Medusa speaks up with a glare towards her boyfriend who smirks in response. "Oh, come on, it's a little funny." There is a long silence, Sam looks down, fighting tears. Dean sighs, Medusa bites her lip as her leg starts bouncing up and down. She could tell them, but if she did; she wasn't sure how they would react to it. "Look, Sammy, what can I say, man, it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it, end of story." Dean speaks up, Maeve grunts as she suddenly stands up with a frown. "Don't talk like that, alright? We still have options."
"What options? Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it." Maeve shoots Dean a glare who flinches slightly in response. "Watch me." Sam hissed as he left the room, Maeve gives Dean a look before letting out a small sigh. "I'm gonna go with Sam, I need a shower. I'll be back later." Maeve murmurs gently as she leans down to kiss him on the forehead. He hums in contact, watching her leave with a small smile on his face.
Back at the hotel room, Maeve showers while Sam tries to call his father. The bed is covered in pages of research about heart care. "This is John Winchester. I can't be reached. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean. 866-907-3235. He can help." Sam sighs as he fights back his tears. "Hey, Dad. It's Sam. Uh...you probably won't even get this, but, uh...it's Dean. He's sick, and uh...the Doctors say there's nothing they can do. Um...but, uh, they don't know the things we know, right? So, don't worry, cause I'm uh...gonna do whatever it takes to get him better. Alright...just wanted you to know." Sam hangs up, tosses his phone on the bed and just sits there silently. There is a knock on the door and he looks up quickly, tears in his eyes. He opens it to find Dean leaning against the jam, looking terrible. Sam looks surprised, happy and confused all at once. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I checked myself out. Where is my girl?" Dean asks, just as Maeve comes out of the bathroom in clean clothes as she dries her hair with the towel. "Dean?" She asks with a frown as she moves over to check him over. "What, are you crazy?" Sam snips at the same time, Dean rolls his eyes entering the room, leaning on everything within reach. Maeve immediately helps move him to the bed, "Well, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot." Dean laughs lightly when Maeve gently smacks his shoulder. Sam huffs a laugh and shuts the door, "You know, this whole I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death thing? It's crap. I can see right through it." Sam tells his brother with a raised eyebrow, "Yeah, whatever, dude. Have you even slept? You look worse than me." Sam rolls his eyes as he moves to sit next to his brother while Maeve passes in front of them.
"I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days. Calling every contact in Dad's journal." Sam explains to his brother, Dean frowns in confusion. "For what?" Sam sighs, "For a way to help you. One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called me back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist." Sam explains as Dean shakes his head with a scoff. "You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?" Dean grumbles out, "I'm not gonna let you die, period. We're going." Sam says with a determined look as Maeve sighs, "Look, I can..." The brothers look at her with frowns on their faces. "No." They reply together causing her jaw to drop in annoyance. Ever since the brothers found out that it hurts her and drains her life every time she burns a rune, they decided that she didn't need to use her powers.
Not that it would really stop her.
She knew the consequences of her actions, the man who originally gave her the runes she carried had told her. He explained that the moment she burned off her last rune, she would turn back into the true monster she was; the snake woman, Medusa.
ππππππππ
π»ππ ππππππ πππππ along a rutted gravel road toward a large white circus tent set up in a field. People make their way toward the tent across the very muddy ground, many on walking frames or helped by others. Sam gets out and runs around to help Dean. Dean opens his door and looks around, Maeve moving to help him. A sign next to the tent reads The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle. Grimacing, Dean starts to pull himself out of the car. Sam tries to help as Maeve watches with a frown on her lips. Her eyes scanning over all the people who look injured and sick, her left hand coming to rub her right arm. The mixed emotions she felt watching everyone, brought her down. "I got ya." Sam grunts out as he tried to help Dean out of the impala who angrily pushed him off. "I got it. Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a Doctor." Dean snips as Maeve sighs, the trio slowly making their way towards the back of the impala.
Dean leaning against it to keep himself from falling over. "I believe I said a specialist. Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal and if he's not; then Maeve says she can help." Sam gestures to Maeve who nods immediately, Dean shoots her a look. "No... I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent." Dean grunts out as an elderly woman with an umbrella passes by, "Reverend LeGrange is a great man." She tells the trio with a smile, "Yeah, that's nice." Dean mutters out, they walk past an angry man remonstrating with a cop. "I have a right to protest. This man is a fraud. And he's milking all these people out of their hard-earned money." Maeve raises an eyebrow at the sight while they moved past the arguing men. "Sir, this is a place of worship. Let's go. Move it." They walk away.
"I take it he's not part of the flock." Dean mutters to the other two, his voice full of sarcasm. "But when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy." Sam explains with a small smile, he found his belief in faith a wonderful thing. "I mean, come on, Sam, a faith healer?" Dean grunts out with a scoff, "Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean." Sam murmurs as Maeve looks towards them. "You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on." Dean snips towards his brother with an annoyed expression. "I've got faith in my abilities." The brothers look towards her with stern looks upon their faces. "We've been over this Maeve, it's to dangerous for you. Unless we absolutely need your powers, we won't use them. Let's try this guy out, come on, guys; how can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?" Sam asked, looking between them with a look of confusion. Maeve scoffs and crosses her arms.
"I used to have faith, it didn't get me anywhere good." Maeve snapped in anger, her words making Sam flinch slightly seeming as he knew her story. "Exactly. We see them, we know they're real." Dean points out, "But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too? I mean we've got Maeve, she's supernatural but good." Sam gives her a cheeky smile, trying to cheer her up since he felt bad for his words. "Because I've seen what evil does to good people and Maeve is the only exception." Dean grunts out, "Maybe God works in mysterious ways." The trio turn to face a blonde woman, Dean chuckles sarcastically at the woman. "Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject." His face held a smile but his voice was full of sarcasm. Maeve slaps him gently on his chest, "Be nice." She utters out as the blonde laughs. "Yeah, I'm sure."
Maeve smiles, holding out her hand towards the woman. "I'm Maeve, this is my boyfriend Dean and his brother, Sam." The blonde smiles and shakes Maeve's hand. "Layla. So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?" Layla asks, turning to Dean who was slightly leaning on Sam, his body getting weak. "Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the both of us." Dean utters out, thrusting his thumb in Sam's direction. An older woman approaches and puts her arm around Layla, "Come on, Layla. It's about to start." The women smiles at the trio before moving inside the tent. The trio follows after as everyone starts to congregate within the tent. The sign at the entrance reads Welcome All Faiths. True Believers Revival.
Inside, the tent is full of people finding seats, a small stage at the front has a lecturn with candles on it. Dean looks around, tilts his head to the corner. "Yeah, peace, love, and trust all over." Sam follows his gaze to a security camera, Maeve shakes her head with a small smile. He's such an ass. Dean starts to take a seat, but Sam puts an arm around him and moves him toward the front, Maeve follows close behind them. "Come on." Sam grumbles out, "Don't! What are you doing? Let's sit here." Dean tries to sit near the back, but Sam doesn't allow him. "We're sitting up front." Sam insists, "What? Why?" Sam doesn't explain but keeps moving Dean up the aisle. "Come on." Maeve's eyes look around the tent, her heart clenching painfully at the sight of all the people who needed help. Yet, they all had faith in this one person.
Dean growls in anger towards his brother as Maeve sighs, "Oh, come on, Sam." Sam frowns in confusion, looking back at his brother. "You alright?" Sam asks, "This is ridiculous." He slaps Sam's hands away. "I'm good, dude, get off me." Maeve couldn't help, but smile at the brothers, they reminded her of her own brother. Sam let's go and points to three empty seats behind Layla and her mother. Dean places his arm around Maeve's waist as he gently moves her around his body to sit her down between himself and Sam. She smiles in thanks as he takes a seat on the end, "Perfect." Sam speaks up, Dean laughs sarcastically with a glare towards his brother. "Yeah, perfect." The trio turn to face the front when a blind man wearing sunglasses, is helped to the lecturn by a woman. "Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it?"
The crowd agrees with him, "Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act." As he speaks Sam sees a table onstage, filled with religious items. He notices an old wooden cross that is topped by a smaller cross in a circle. "But, I say to you, God is watching." The crowd around murmurs in agreement as Maeve scoffs lowly under her breath. Gods were nothing but dicks that only cared for themselves. "God rewards the good, and he punishes the corrupt." Maeve flinches slightly as the crowd continues to nod and cheer along with the man. "It is the Lord who does the healing here friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts." The crowd continues to murmur, Dean leans over and speaks quietly, to Sam. "Yeah, and into their wallets." Sam shoots his brother a glare as Maeve snorts lightly in agreement and amusement.
"You think so, young man?" The crowd immediately falls silent, Dean freezes with embarrassment. "Sorry." He speaks up, "No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears." The crowd laughs at the blind man's words. "What's your name, son?" He clears his throat, hesitating. "Dean." Sam smirks towards his brother, he always loves it when his brother's mouth gets him into trouble. It was hilarious to watch what new ways he could get out of it, Maeve too found it entertaining. "Dean." Roy nods to himself, "I want-I want you to come up here with me." The crowd claps and Sam immediately perks up even more. The man's wife moves to centre stage, smiling at Dean. Maeve watches Dean who shakes his head, "No, it's ok." Dean waves him off as Sam leans around Maeve to whisper to his brother. "What are you doing?!" Sam hissed at Dean, Maeve frowns slightly as she leans back. She honestly didn't think that Sam should force Dean to do this if he didn't feel like it. "You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?"
Dean pauses, hesitating again. "Well, yeah, but ahh..." The crowd claps and makes encouraging noises. "...maybe you should just pick someone else." Sam looks at Dean like he's insane. The crowd claps loudly, Maeve frowns at everyone. "Oh, no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did." Maeve and Dean both scoff at the man's words. The crowd gets even more excited, "That's right! Yeah! Come on!" Maeve took notice of the sad look upon Layla's face and the glare her mother shot towards Dean. Sam smiles excitedly as he pushes his brother lightly, "Get up there!" Dean reluctantly rises and moves toward the stage. The woman moves to assist and stands him next to Roy, "You ready?" He asks Dean who sighs with an awkward look on his face. "Look, no disrespect, but ahh, I'm not exactly a believer." Maeve smiles gently at her boyfriend's heart, he knew there were people who needed this more than he did; even if that meant sacrificing himself. Roy shakes his head, smiling. "You will be, son. You will be." He turns to the crowd, "Pray with me, friends." The crowd lifts their arms up and joins hands with each other. Roy lifts his hands to the air, then places one first on Dean's shoulder, then on the side of his head.
Roy starts muttering to himself, "Alright now. Alright now." Dean's eyes glaze over. His knees weaken and he sinks to his knees, Roy's hand still on his head. Maeve's eyes widened as she immediately shot up, "Alright, now." Dean wobbles, his eyes fall back in his head and he slips to the stage floor. Sam also jumps from his chair and they take off running to the stage. "Dean!" Maeve shouts in horror, his eyes scanning towards the figure that was making its way towards him. The crowd is clapping excitedly, no one else taking notice of the figure. Sam grabs the front of Dean's hoodie, Maeve yelps when the reaper touches Dean as well. Her own hand coming to wrap around its arm, it pauses and slowly looks towards her. Her eyes turn green as the reaper pulls away, Dean's eyes burst open and he gasps. "Say something!" Dean blinks groggily and looks up. Roy is standing above him, hands out from his sides, palms up, looking happy. Beside and slightly behind Roy a tall man in a black suit with white hair, very white skin and extremely wrinkled skin comes into focus.
He stares at Dean; his dark eyes moving towards Maeve as he nods to her, then turns away and vanishes. Dean watches him, shocked; his own eyes turning to Maeve who was staring at the blank spot the reaper once stood, her eyes still glowing green.
ππππππππ
π«πππ ππππ ππππππππ ππ Maeve, his mind kept going back to her eyes and the fact that she saw whatever he did. Sam didn't notice, his mind more worried on making sure Dean was okay; and so there they sat, back in the hospital room. "So, you really feel okay?" Sam asks Dean as he frowns towards his brother with a worried look. Dean looks towards Sam with an unhappy look, "I feel fine, Sam." A Doctor enters the room, reading paperwork. "Well, according to all your tests there's nothing wrong with your heart. No sign there ever was. Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but, still it's strange it does happen." Maeve closes her eyes with a sad look on her face, Dean frowning at her reaction. "What do you mean, strange?" He asked the Doctor who clears his throat and shrugs gently. "Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack." Maeve nods as if she was expecting it, that reaction confirming Dean's own thoughts as he watches her. Whatever that blind man did to him, wasn't good at all.
"Thanks, Doc." Dean gives the man a fake smile, the Doctor nods and turns to leave. "No problem." He leaves as Dean shoots his brother a pointed look. "That's odd." Sam laughs awkwardly, "Maybe it's a coincidence. People's hearts give out all the time, man." Maeve gives Sam a glare as she looks towards Dean with her arms crossed. "No, they don't." She snaps, both brothers look towards her as she turns away and looks out the window. "Look, Dean, do we really have to look this one in the mouth? Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?" Dean glares at his brother, "Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why." Dean snaps towards Sam who flinches lightly, he then turns to Maeve. "And you know what I'm talking about too." She sighs, looking towards him with a sad expression on her face. "What feeling?" Sam asks, looking between them. "When I was healed, I just...I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second...I saw someone. This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you, Sam, it was a spirit. I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this." Maeve shakes her head, "It wasn't a spirit." Maeve speaks up, the brothers look towards her with frowns.
Sam sighs, "Yeah, alright. So, what do you wanna do?" He asks the couple. "I want you to go check out the heart attack guy. Maeve and I are gonna visit the reverend."
ππππππππ
π΄ππππ, πΉππ πππ π«πππ sit on couches, Sue Ann stands, filling a glass. Maeve watches her with a frown, she didn't feel comfortable around this woman at all. "I feel great. Just trying to, you know, make sense of what happened." Dean speaks slowly, a permanent frown on his face. "A miracle is what happened. Well, miracles come so often around Roy." Sue Ann smiled at the couple, one to which they did not return. Dean turns his attention back to Roy, "When did they start? The miracles." He asks, "Woke up one morning, stone blind. Doctors figured out I had cancer. Told me I had maybe a month. So, uh, we prayed for a miracle. I was weak, but I told Sue Ann, 'You just keep right on praying.' I went into a coma. Doctors said I wouldn't wake up, but I did. And the cancer was gone." Roy laughs at his own story as Maeve watches Sue Ann who suddenly looked a little guilty. Roy takes off his sunglasses, his eyes are white. "If it wasn't for these eyes, no one would believe I'd ever had it." Roy explains to them, "And suddenly you could heal people." Maeve speaks up, her eyes staring towards Sue Ann with a frown as the woman sipped on her tea. "I discovered it afterward, yes. God's blessed me in many ways."
"And his flock just swelled overnight. And this is just the beginning." Sue Ann speaks up, purposefully ignoring Maeve's look. "Can I ask you one last question?" Dean asks Roy, the blind man nods. "Of course you can." He smiles, "Why? Why me? Out of all the sick people, why save me?" Dean asks, his voice and body language filled with guilt. Maeve grabs his hand and gives him a small smile, he gives one back. "Well, like I said before, the Lord guides me. I looked into your heart, and you just stood out from all the rest." Roy explains, "What did you see in my heart?" Dean asks the man who pauses. "A young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished." Dean looks slightly surprised.
ππππππππ
π»πππππ π΄ππππππ π³ππππ, Maeve and Dean are leaving the home just as Layla and her mother are walking up the steps. "Maeve, Dean, hey." Layla greets with a kind smile as her mother glares at them. "Hey." Dean breaths out, his body tense as his face filled with guilt again. "How you feeling?" Layla asked the couple, Maeve just gives her a small smile as Dean shrugs.
"I feel good. Cured, I guess. What are you doing here?" Dean asks her with a frown of confusion on his face. "You know, my mom, she wanted to talk to the reverend." Layla laughs, Sue Ann comes out onto the porch behind them. "Layla?" Sue Ann gives her a confused look, Layla laughs and smiles softly. "Yes, I'm here again." Dean and Maeve move out of the way, watching the three woman talk. Sue Ann gives Layla's mom a tense smile, "Well, I'm sorry, but Roy is resting. He won't be seeing anyone else right now." Maeve frowns towards the woman once more.
"Sue Ann, please. This is our sixth time, he's got to see us." Layla's mother pleads with the woman, "Roy is well aware of Layla's situation. And he very much wants to help just as soon as the Lord allows. Have faith, Mrs. Rourke." Maeve scoffs at her words, Sue Ann gives one last smile before she turns and goes inside. Layla's mother stares at the woman's back then turns, looking at Dean and Maeve with a nasty glare. Her eyes filled with tears as she speaks up, frustrated. "Why are you still even here? You got what you wanted." She snapped in anger, staring the couple down. Her words making Dean flinch, Maeve glares back as she moves lightly in front of him. "Mom. Stop." Layla sighs, her voice tired. "No, Layla, this is too much. We've been to every single service. If Roy would stop choosing these strangers over you. Strangers who don't even believe. I just can't pray any harder." Maeve and Dean turn towards Layla with confused looks on their faces. "Layla, what's wrong?" Maeve asks gently, her eyes growing sad as she realized that she never asked the woman what was wrong.
Layla smiles and shakes her head, her voice coming out hesitantly. "I have this thing..." She tried not to make a big deal of it, but her mother wasn't having any of it. "It's a brain tumor. It's inoperable. In six months, the Doctors say..." Layla puts a hand on her mother's shoulder, stopping her. "I'm sorry." Dean and Maeve speak together, both for two different reasons though. "It's okay." Layla gives them a small tired smile, her mother stares into her daughter's eyes. "No. It isn't." She turns to Dean with a snarl. "Why do you deserve to live more than my daughter?" Dean flinches slightly as she walks away, Layla takes a deep shaky breath and follows her down the stairs. Dean and Maeve watch them go then turns to look back at Roy and Sue Ann's house. Maeve grabs Dean's hand and gives him a smile, "You do deserve to live. Despite what you think, you save people, Dean Winchester. You are a hero, and someday you'll see the man I see. We can still help them, but for now we have to stop the bad guys." Maeve tells him gently, his eyes softening as tears gather within them. He nods lightly as she pulls him into a hug, before they both turn to leave.
They had work to do.
ππππππππ
π΄ππππ ππππππ πππ ππππ, Dean following close behind her; throwing his keys on the bed and beginning to take off his jacket. Sam is at the laptop with an upset look on his face, "What'd you find out?" Dean asks, his face pulling into a knowing look as he stares his brother down. Maeve had explained to him what it really was on the way back to the motel and he was pissed. Sam sighs, speaking quietly. "I'm sorry." Dean scoffs, throwing his jacket on the bed and approaching. "Sorry about what?" Sam slowly looks up at Dean as Maeve moves to take off her own jacket. She lays it across the chair and moves to the bed, "Marshall Hall died at 4:17." Dean nods, not even looking surprised. "The exact time I was healed." Sam looks away with guilt, "Yeah. So, I put together a list of everyone Roy's healed, six people over the past year, and I cross-checked them with the local obits. Every time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time, the victim died of the Same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time."
"Someone's healed of cancer, someone else dies of cancer." Dean responds with a nod, "Somehow. LeGrange... he's trading a life for another." Dean sighs, his eyes scanning over Maeve who gives him a sympathetic look. She had explained what happened when he was healed and he hasn't taken it very well. Sam looks upset, his eyes looking between the couple; taking note of the fact that they had already figured it out. "Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed." Maeve scoffed with an eyebrow as her face turned dark. She shot Sam a glare, Dean shakes his head upset. "You never should've brought me here." He snapped at Sam, silently wishing that he would've let Maeve heal him like she had wanted to. "Dean, I was just trying to save your life." Sam insisted, "But, Sam, some guy is dead now because of me. Maeve said she could've healed me, we should have let her!" Dean snarled towards Sam in anger.
"I didn't know. The thing I don't understand is how is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?" Maeve sighs as Dean sits down next to her, "Oh, he's not doing it. Something else is doing it for him. Well her, I think." Maeve replies to Sam, who frowns towards her. "What do you mean?" He asks, "The old man we saw on stage. There's only one thing that can give and take life like that." Sam looks at Dean, confused. Maeve sighs and continues with what she was saying, "We're dealing with a reaper." Sam pauses, a moment of silence passing over them before he scoffs with a laugh. "You really think it's THE Grim Reaper? Like, angel of death, collect your soul, the whole deal?" Maeve stands up with a shake of her head. "No no no, not THE reaper, A reaper." Maeve grits out as Dean moves over to the table and opens his computer to start researching. "There's reaper lore in pretty much every culture on earth, it goes by 100 different names, it's possible that there's more than one of them." Dean tells his brother who watches him with a frown.
A few moments later, the trio was surrounded by pictures and notes of research on reapers. Maeve knew of them, actually knowing Death but she didn't realize how many different versions of them there were. Although, according to Sam, there were many different versions of her and her story. People making up things as generations passed through, like a bad game of telephone. "But you said you saw a dude in a suit." Sam speaks up, breaking the silence as Dean looks up. "What, you think he shoulda been working the whole black robe thing?...You said it yourself that the clock stopped right? Reapers stop time. And you can only see 'em when they're coming at you which is why I could see it and you couldn't." Dean snips back, he pauses though, frowning in thought as he looks towards Maeve who purposely keeps her head down. She knew he would be questioning her about it later, "Maybe." Sam grumbles out, "There's nothing else it could be Sam. The question is how is Roy controlling the damn thing?"
"That cross." Sam suddenly speaks up with wide eyes as he looks between them. "What?" Dean asks with a frown, "There was this cross, I noticed it in the church and I knew I had seen it before." Sam looks through some papers and snorts. He holds a card up to Dean, "Here." Dean leans into take the card. "A Tarot?" Dean asked, raising a brow at his brother as Maeve cocks her head to the side. She wasn't familiar with the tarot, "It makes sense. A tarot dates back to the early christian era right, when some priests were still using magic? And a few of them veered into the dark stuff? Necromancy and how to push death away, how to cause it?" Maeve shivered slightly at Sam's words, even now after years; the thought of death and people trying to control it, scared her. She hated the fact that people wanted to hurt others, because she knew she hated it. She had been punished for years for something that she didn't do, and even now she is still being punished. "So Roy's using black magic to bind the reaper?" Maeve clears her throat causing them to look towards her.
She gives him a pointed look, he sighs. "Sorry, Roy or his wife?" Dean corrected, Sam laughs gently at them. "If he or she is, they're riding the whirlwind. It's like putting a dog leash on a great white." Dean sighs, rising to put his cup in the sink, then leaning back against it. "Ok then we stop them." Dean states, his face turning determined. "How?" Sam asks, Maeve sighs as she gets up to move towards the fridge. "You know how." Dean snips, Maeve pulls out a water; opening it to drink. "Wait, what the hell are you talking about Dean, we can't kill Roy or Sue Ann." Sam stares at his brother in horror. "Sam these guys are playing God, they're deciding who lives and who dies. That's a monster in my book." Maeve pauses for a moment, her eyes moving towards the floor. "No. We're not going to kill a human being Dean. We do that we're no better than they are." Sam snaps back at his brother, his eyes glancing at Maeve as she moves to sit on one of the beds.
"Ok, we can't kill the married couple, we can't kill death. Any bright ideas college boy?" Dean snarls in anger, he was upset about the whole situation. He was upset that he let Sam drag him here, that a man died for him, and that he didn't believe in Maeve enough to let her heal him. If he did, he wouldn't have to feel this guilty for just being alive. "Ok. uh...If Roy's using some kind of black spell on the reaper, we gotta... figure out what it is. And how to break it."
ππππππππ
π»ππ ππππππ πππππππ down the badly gravelled and potholed road again, passing a sign that says Service Today. They park and exit the Impala, Maeve eyes the tent that people were waiting outside of. "If Roy's using a spell, there might be a spell book." Sam speaks up as they move around the back of the impala. "See if you can find it." Dean speaks up, looking down at his watch. "Hurry up too, the service starts in fifteen minutes. I'll try to stall Roy." Sam nods in response as the trio get stopped by the man protesting against the preacher. He holds out a leadlet to Dean, "Roy LeGrange is a fraud. He's no healer." He states, Dean takes the leaflet from him with a nod in agreement. "Amen Brother." Sam points towards him with a smile, "You keep up the good work." Maeve snorts lightly with a shake of her head at her boys while the man smiles back. "Thank you." Sam takes off towards the house as Dean and Maeve make their way towards the tent. Maeve comes to a pause as she notices a way inside from the back, "Hey, I'm going to be right back. Meet you in a second." Dean frowns in confusion as he turns to face her, "Wait?! What?" He was baffled when she had taken off towards the back of the tent. He watches as she sneaks inside before letting out a small sigh, he needed to trust her.
A little ways away, Sam climbs in a window and starts searching the house. He looks on the bookshelfs and pulls out the only book that doesn't have dust on the shelf in front of it. Encyclopedia of British History. He flips through it, finding nothing, then realises there is another, smaller book, hidden on the bookshelf behind the larger one. Inside is a picture of a skeleton reaper, and on another page the wooden cross he saw earlier in the tent. He also finds newspaper articles about the people who died. The one that died for Dean was an openly gay teacher, the woman jogging an abortion rights advocate. He finds a third clipping about Wright, the man handing out leaflets in front of the tent.
Thirty minutes later, Maeve had met back up with Dean; her face was slightly pale and she was suddenly favoring her right arm. She had asked for the keys to the impala and ten minutes later she was back by his side as everyone is walking into the tent. Dean had been frowning in worry as he watched Maeve for a moment before his phone rings. Dean sighs, placing the phone to his ear and speaks into it. "What have you got?" He asks as Maeve gestures to the front. "They're choosing victims they see as immoral. And I think I know who's next on there. Remember that protestor?" Sam asks, Dean nods as his eyes meet Maeve's. "What, the guy in the parking lot?" He asks out loud and her eyes widen in realization. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll find him. But you can't let Roy heal anyone, alright?" Dean hangs up and the couple moves further toward the front of the tent. Sam has some time to get back to the church as everyone drinks from the communal cup, Maeve watches each one.
Soon, the service begins.
"Layla. Layla Rourke. Come up here child." The crowd bursts into pleased applause. Layla, stunned, looks around then rises to hug her mother with a happy smile, Maeve watches them. "Mum. Thank you." Layla breaths out as Dean frowns in sadness, he really wanted her to be healed but not at the risk of someone else's life. "Oh man." As Layla passes him Dean grasps her arm. "Layla, listen to me. You can't go up there." Dean hisses at her with a sad expression on his face. "Why not? We've waited for months!" Layla hisses at him with a sad confused look on her face. She couldn't believe Dean was trying to stop her from being healed. "You can't let Roy heal you." Maeve insisted, her own expression more guarded than Dean's. "I don't understand, Roy healed Dean didn't he? Why can't you let him try?" She asked the couple, "Cause if you do something bad is going to happen. I can't explain. I just need you to believe me" Maeve, Dean and Layla stare at each other, Sue Ann stands waiting; her face pulling into a dark frown as she watches their confrontation. She smiles forcefully, holding out her hand. "Layla."
"Please." Layla stares at the hand Sue Ann is offering, then turns back and stares at her mother, who is standing wringing her hands. Her mother nods at her. Layla looks at Dean and shakes her head, "I'm sorry." Layla leaves them, "Layla. Layla!" Dean moves to go after her, but Maeve stops him. He turns to her with a frown, she responds with a shake of her head. "We need to stop this." Sue Ann smiles and puts her arm around Layla to take her to the stage. "Dear child!" The crowd continues to clap happily. Roy takes Layla's hand, "I knew the Lord was planning. I knew it was just a matter of time." Dean, frustrated, moves back to stand near Layla's mother, Maeve follows close behind him. She is crying and covering her face with her hands. "Pray with me friends." Maeve eyes scan the area before she turns to Dean. "Dean." She hisses towards her boyfriend, she hold out her hand. "Lighter." His eyes widen in realization and they quickly get to work. Roy is about to lay his hands on Layla, who looks enraptured. Suddenly, smoke fills the air. "FIRE! Hurry, tent's on fire!"
Layla opens her eyes and looks toward the crowd. Everyone starts to rise and evacuate, Layla's mother doesn't seem to care that the tent is on fire as she starts moving toward the stage. "NO! No, please. Please don't stop. Reverend, please, please! Please don't stop, please!" Dean watches helplessly, Maeve quickly grabs his arm and pulls him towards the exit. "Friends, if you'd all just leave the tent in an orderly fashion...and we'll, uh, and we'll figure out what's going on out there and we'll come back." Dean pulls out his phone, "We did it, we stopped Roy." There is a short pause, until Sam starts yelling back into the phone. "Dean it didn't work. The reaper's still coming!" The couple exit the tent, Dean is still on the phone. "I'm telling you, I'm telling you it didn't work. Roy must not be the one controlling this thing." Maeve smacks Dean on the arm who looks towards her highly offended. "Ow, what?" He grunts out with a pout, "I told you! It's the damn wife." She hissed towards him with a glare, Sam's eyes widening in realization as he listens over the phone.
Dean looks around and spies Sue Ann beside the stage, facing into the corner and reciting. "Sue Ann." Maeve and Dean run to her, Dean getting to her first; spinning her around. She gasps and stops reciting, reaching down to hold a cross on a chain around her neck. It is the same as the wooden cross Sam saw earlier, Maeve glares in anger. She stares at the couple for a moment, glares then tucks the cross inside her blouse. "Help! Help me!" Dean backs away, nodding and staring at Sue Ann like he shouldn't have expected anything better. Two cops grab the couple roughly and pull them away from the woman who started to smirk at them.
While the fire is put out, the two cops manhandle Dean and Maeve through the entry. He shakes them off as soon as they are outside, Maeve is let go of when Dean shoots them a dark look. She smirks lightly at their reactions to her boyfriend's protectiveness. Sue Ann follows close behind, she comes around them with a disapproving look in her face. "I just don't understand. After everything we've done for you. After Roy healed you. I'm just very very disappointed Dean." Maeve and Dean stare at her, saying nothing. "You can let him go. I'm not gonna press charges. The Lord will deal with him as he sees fit." Maeve scoffs as Sue Ann leaves, the cops turn to the couple. "We catch you round here again, we'll put the fear of God in you, understand?" Dean gives them a sarcastic smile, "Yes sir, fear of god. Got it." Maeve, however, doesn't bother to respond. The cops give him one last push, before walking away. The couple turns to find Layla waiting for them with a saddened look on her face.
Dean frowns slightly, taking note at how her face had somehow gained more color. "Layla?" Dean asks, "Why would you do that? And it could have been my only chance." She asks the couple, looking at them with disappointment. Maeve looks away, rubbing her arm; the bandage slightly riding up causing Dean to frown at the sight of it. He doesn't make it known that he had taken notice of it. "He's not a healer." Maeve speaks up, her arm dropping as Layla glares towards her. "He healed your boyfriend." She hissed in sadness, "I know it doesn't seem fair, and I wish I could explain. But Roy is not the answer, I'm sorry." She tries to explain to the blonde woman, Layla shakes her head sadly. "Goodbye, you two." She walks away. Dean raises his eyes to the sky, then turns to watch her. She turns back, "I wish you luck. I really do." Dean's voice cracks as guilt continues to ravage his body. Maeve watches him with sad eyes, she really should tell him that everyone would be alright but it wasn't the time. "Same to you."
Layla turns to walk away again, walking past where her mother is talking to Roy and Sue Ann. Dean and Maeve give one another a look before slipping past them as well. "Private session tonight, no interruptions. I give you my word, I'll heal your daughter." They walk past behind them to where Sam is waiting, the trio overhear. "Thank you reverend. God bless you."
ππππππππ
π©πππ ππ πππ πππππ, Sam is sitting on the bed, his eyes moving back and forth with Maeve who is pacing as Dean leans against the counter with his arms crossed. "So, Roy really believes?" Sam asks his brother, finally breaking the silence and looking towards Dean. Dean, turns his attention to Sam, finally taking his own eyes off Maeve; questions still on the tip of his tongue. The moment they had gotten back to the motel, she had rushed into the bathroom. Dean, of course followed after her and immediately grew upset when he saw the blood along her arm. He quietly helped her clean up when he couldn't get a decent answer out of her, telling her with a stern voice that they would talk about it later. She agreed, "I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing." Maeve speaks up, finally coming to a stop as she crosses her arms as well. "Well, I found this." He hands the little book to Dean, "Hidden in their library. It's ancient. Written by a priest who went dark side. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper."
"Must be a hell of a spell." Dean utters out with a raised eyebrow as Maeve moves to read over his shoulder. "Yeah. You gotta build a black alter with seriously dark stuff. Bones, human blood. To cross a ine like that, a preachers wife. Black magic. Murder. Evil." Sam utters out, his face scrunching up in disgust at the fact. "Desperate. Her husband was dying, she didn't have anything to save him. She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy." Maeve explained to the brothers, Dean nodding in agreement with his girlfriend. "Cheating death, literally." Sam replies, "Yeah, but Roy's alive, so why is she still using the spell?" Dean asks with a frown of confusion, "Right. To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral." Sam shrugs, Maeve frown at the thought. Maybe it wasn't that, maybe she was trying to keep the reaper from her husband. If she let it go, then it would most likely go back after him or even her. "May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work."
Maeve's eyes widened as an idea came to her, "We gotta break that binding spell Dean." Sam utters out, Dean frowns for a moment as he continues to look at the picture of the cross in the book. "You know Sue Ann had a coptic cross like this. When she dropped it the reaper backed off." Dean explained, "So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the alter?" Sam asks, Maeve moves to grab her jacket. "Maybe both. Whatever we do we better do it soon, or he's healing Layla tonight." Dean says, his own body moving to leave. "I've got an idea." Maeve speaks up as they walk out of the room, closing the door behind them.
ππππππππ
π°π'π ππππππππ, πππ ππππππ rolls in without lights and stops. "That's Layla's car. She's already here." Sam breaths out, the trio sitting in the car; a moment of silence passing over them. Dean nods sadly, "Yeah." The amount of guilt that was eating up at him. Maeve looks towards her boyfriend with a small sigh, "Dean..." She starts off slowly as he shook his head, they would talk later. "You know if Roy woulda picked Layla instead of me she'd be here right now. And if she's not healed tonight she's gonna die in a couple of months." Dean explains to them, "What's happening to her is horrible. But what are you gonna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself Dean, you can't play God." Dean sits without speaking, then gets out of the car. Sam follows. They approach the tent and peek inside. Roy is speaking to a small group of the faithful, including Layla and her mother. "Gather round, please everyone, gather round. Come in closer, come on up." Dean frowns when he notices the one person they needed to stop wasn't here. "Where's Sue Ann?" Maeve looks towards the house with a nod, "House." She states, the trio move to the house.
"Go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up." Dean suddenly speaks up, Maeve and Sam frown in confusion as he pushes them forward. "What are you gonna...?" Sam pauses as he spots what Dean was looking at, the two cops from earier coming down the stairs. "Hey!" The cops look over. "You gonna put that fear of God in me?" Maeve couldn't help, but snort as the cops drop their coffee and run at Dean, who takes off. As soon as they're gone Sam and Maeve run up the stairs and checks around the house. It is in darkness. They turn back, confused, then spots light emerging from the cracks of the outside basement entrance. Giving one another a look, they quickly make their way towards the light. Sam and Maeve move toward the basement entrance, opens the doors and slips inside. They move quietly through the basement to a candlelit alter littered with parts of dead animals, blood, horns, etc. There is a photo in the middle of Dean, taken from the security camera the first time they were in the tent, before he was healed. His face has been crossed out with what looks like blood. Maeve slowly picks it up with a frown on her face.
Sue Ann speaks up from behind Sam, startling him. Maeve, however, was already looking towards her with a glare. "I gave your brother life and I can take it away." Sam is furious. He tips over the table the alteris on, then runs at Sue Ann, but she is already up the stairs. She closes the hatches and secures it with a beam. Sam stretches to push against them and keeps trying. "Maeve, Sam, can't you see? The Lord chose me to reward the just and punish the wicked. And your brother is wicked and he deserves to die just as Layla deserves to live. It is God's will." Maeve is already working on the blocked off window as Sam turns to survey the room. He immediately moves to help her with it, "Goodbye, Maeve, Sam." Sam pulls a block off wood out from the wall and smashes out a small boarded up window. "So, are you going to explain what's been going on with you and Dean?" Sam grunts out as they finally pull the boards off the window.
Maeve sighs and gives him a look, "Really? You want to do this now?" She asks as they get the window open, Sam bending down to boost her up. "You took off earlier and when you come back, you're hurt. Now, Dean and you aren't talking..." Maeve lets out a grunt as she slips through the window, spinning to help Sam up and through it as well. "We aren't fighting, and I'll explain everything to you both after this is over. Now come on." They take off back towards the tents. Sue Ann is reciting, holding up the cross. Sam appears, grabs it and throws it aside, breaking a glass bottle of blood. The reaper stops what he is doing and looks up. Dean falls to the ground gasping, inside the tent, Roy raises his hand from Layla's head, confused. "I don't understand..." He breathes out in confusion, "I don't...feel any different...?" Sue Ann falls to her knees beside the blood. "My God, what have you done!" She cries out in horror towards the pair as they stare down at her. "He's not your God." Maeve hisses in disgust towards the woman.
Suddenly, Sue Ann looks up and see's the reaper. He smiles at her. Terrified, she rises and turns to run. The reaper is there. He places his hand on her head, her eyes glaze over and she falls to her knees. After a moment, still smiling, he allows her to slip to the ground where she convulses once, twice, and dies. The reaper watches, looking satisfied. Maeve watches the entire scene and when the reaper turns to her, he nods in thanks; to which she gives one back in response. Leaving her lying there, Sam and Maeve turn to look for Dean. Dean makes it back to the Impala just as Sam and Maeve approach. Dean immediately pulls Maeve into a tight hug, he really needed to hold her for a moment. She smiles into his chest, "Are you ok?" Sam asks as he smiles softly at towards the couple. Dean sighs, shaking his head. "Hell of a week." Sam snorts lightly, "Yeah...All right, come on. We should get going." The get into the car and head back to the motel.
ππππππππ
π¨ πππ πππππ πππππ, Dean sits on the bed, staring at nothing. Sam sighs as he watches his brother while Maeve moves around with a frown on her face. She was waiting for Dean to snap out of his guilt so she can explain everything. "What is it?" Sam asks, "Nothing." Sam waits a few seconds before he speaks more gently. "What is it?" Dean turns to stare at his brother, "We did the right thing here didn't we?" He asks, his voice cracking. "Of course we did." Sam breathed out, Dean hangs his head. "It doesn't feel like it." A knock at the door stops them. "I got it." He opens the door as Dean and Maeve turn to look. It's Layla, Maeve raises a brow at the sight of her. "Hey, Layla. Come on in." Sam smiles smugly at the trio.
"Hey." She enters, Dean rises with a frown as Maeve watches from where she was sitting. "How did you know we were here?" Maeve asks, "Sam...called. He said you...wanted to say goodbye?" Maeve and Dean glance at Sam, who is at the door, looking sheepish. "I'm gonna...grab a soda." Sam leaves, closing the door behind him. "So, uh. Where are you going?" Layla asks the couple with a small smile, "Don't know yet. Our work kinda takes us all over." Layla watches Dean in silence for a moment, "You know...I went back to see Roy." Dean pulls a fake surprised look as Maeve nods along with her. "What happened?" Maeve asked gently, Layla gives her a small sad smile as she moves to sit next to the dark haired woman. "Nothing. He laid his hands on my forehead but nothing happened." Dean moves to sit across from them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry it didnt work." Layla shakes her head with a frown, "And Sue Ann. She's dead you know? Stroke." Dean and Maeve nod in response, "Yeah, we heard. You know Roy's a good man. He doesn't deserve what's happened." Maeve and Dean look at Layla, Dean hesitated before he spoke up.
"Must be rough. To believe in something so much, and have it disappoint you." Dean utters out lightly as Layla shakes her head smiling. "You wanna hear something weird?" Maeve and Dean turns to look at her. "I'm Ok. Really. I guess if you're gunna have faith...you can't just have it when the miracles happen. You have to have it when they don't." She smiles at them, "So what now?" Layla smiles softly, "God works in mysterious ways." She looks between the pair, "Goodbye, you two." She rises and moves toward the door. Dean closes his eyes for a second, remaining still. Dean slowly rises and turing to face Layla. "Well..." He clears his throat as Layla turns back to face him. Maeve suddenly speaks up before Dean could, "Layla, you're going to be just fine." Her eyes shining with unshed tears as she stared at the woman, she actually believed her. Layla let out a small laugh, "Well...There's a miracle right there." Layla turns and leaves the room. Dean stands staring at Maeve, shortly after she leaves, Sam comes back into the room. The brothers turn towards Maeve who sighs and sits down with a small frown.
It was time for her to explain.
Thirty minutes later, both brothers are staring at Maeve in shock as she winces slightly under their looks. "So, the whole congregation is going to be healed because they drank your blood?" Sam utters out, his face pulling into a grimace as she nods. "I understand if you two don't want me around anymore." She moves to grab her bag, Dean quickly stands with a frown. "Hey, what did I tell you. I don't want you going anywhere, you just healed over a dozen people and yet you still think we're going to hate you." Dean watches her with a hurt look on his face as Sam moves forward as well. "He's right, your family. We don't abandon family, and you're a hero." Sam says with a kind smile on her face as she looks between them with tears in her eyes. "You have carried a huge burden on your shoulders for years, and now you have us to help you carry that weight." Sam breaths out, Dean nods in agreement as he gives her a smile. Maeve lets out a small sob as she drops her bag and runs into their arms.
This is where she belonged.
π'π πππππππͺ πππππ€πππ π¨ππ₯π π₯πππ€ ππππ‘π₯ππ£. πππ€π¦π€. ππ₯ π₯π π π ππ ππ π£ππ§ππ£ π₯π ππ , π€π π£π£πͺ ππ¦πͺπ€ π'π§π ππππ ππ¦π€πͺ π¨ππ₯π π¨π π£π πππ π π¨ππ€π'π₯ π€π¦π£π ππ π¨ π π¨πππ₯ππ π₯π π¨π£ππ₯π π₯πππ€.
πΈππͺπ¨ππͺ, π₯ππππ πͺπ π¦ πππ ππ π£ π₯ππ ππ π§π πππ π€π¦π‘π‘π π£π₯!
πππ€, π₯ππ ππ πͺπ€ πππππππͺ πππ π¨ πππ£ π€πππ£ππ₯ πππ π¦π₯ πππ£ πππ π π.
πππ ππ π£π π€πππ£ππ₯ ππ π£ π»πππ π₯π ππππ π π¦π₯ πππ π₯πππ₯ ππ πππ€ π¨ππ₯π π₯ππ πππ©π₯ ππππ‘π₯ππ£!!!
πππππ πͺπ π¦ ππ¦πͺπ€!!!
π ππ π§π πͺπ π¦!!!
ππ'ππ ππ£π π₯ππ π£πππ€π π π ππ ππ₯πππ¦π π¨ππ₯π ππͺ π€π₯π π£πππ€.
ππππ€ ππ€ π₯ππ ππ ππππ€π₯ π ππ, πͺππ₯.
ππ,πππ ππ π£ππ€