Authoress Note: Welcome to the final chapter of Hell in a Handbasket. Thank you to all of those who have left reviews for this story. It really does mean a lot to me that you guys have stuck through this book with me. Without further ado Chapter 7 of Hell in a Handbasket.
Chapter 7
Saving John
Dean had parked the car by some train tracks.
Sam was busy looking through the book that Bobby had given to him to use. He was fiddling with the marker in his hand.
Dean was loading up the guns that he had and putting them into his duffle bag.
Aeron grabbed the only gun that she had on her that was in her duffle bag. She slipped it into the back of the pants she wore. She moved her shirt and covered the gun.
Sam looked over at Dean in concern. "You've been quiet."
"Just getting ready." Dean replied as he continued to gather things up.
"He's gonna be fine, Dean."
Dean didn't answer to what Sam had said.
Sam flipped to another page. He saw the symbol and picked up the book and walked to the open trunk lid. He rubbed off the dirt and started to draw on it.
"Dude, what are you drawing on my car!"
"Chill Dean." Aeron snapped getting fed up with the way that Dean was acting. Hell she could understand that it was his father that they were going after, but the attitude that he had was truly pathetic.
Dean narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't see why you had to come along."
Aeron turned to him sharply. "Your dad wanted me to help you with this. I was being nice enough to help you two get your father back. At least one of us deserves to have a family. I don't want you going through the same shit that I am going through Winchester. You have your dad, be thankful for that." Aeron's light brown eyes flashed with emotions. Anger and hurt were the two emotions that Sam saw fairly well.
Sam closed his eyes. "Dean. Let her help."
"You need to tell me what the hell you are drawing on my car." Dean snapped turning his attention to his younger brother.
"It's called a Devil's trap. Demons can't get through it or inside it."
"So?"
Sam moved to the other side of the trunk. "It basically turns the trunk into a lock box."
"So?"
"So, we have a place to hide the Colt while we go get dad."
"What are you talking about? We're bringing the Colt with us." Dean said looking at his brother in complete confusion.
"We can't, Dean. We've only got three bullets left. We can't just use them on any demon, we've got to use them on the demon."
"No, we have to save dad, Sam, okay? We're gonna need all the help we can get."
"Dean, you know how pissed dad would be if we used all the bullets? Dean, he wouldn't want us to bring the gun."
"I don't care, Sam. I don't care what dad wants, okay? And since when do you care what dad wants?"
"We want to kill this demon. You used to want that, too. Hell, I mean, you're the one who came and got me at school!"
Dean scoffed at that.
"You're the one who dragged me back into this, Dean. I'm just trying to finish it!"
"Well, you and dad are a lot more alike than I thought, you know that? You both can't wait to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But you know what? I'm gonna be the one to bury you. You're selfish, you know that? You don't care about anything but revenge."
"That's not true, Dean."
Dean scoffed.
Aeron just shook her head. She knew not to interrupt because she would get a tongue lashing from Dean and Sam. And it was none of her business. She would be well on her way out of sight once the demon was killed. She wouldn't have to ever see the Winchesters ever again. She would go back to Bobby's and most likely stay with him.
"I want dad back. But they are expecting us to bring this gun. They get the gun, they will kill us all. That Colt is our only leverage and you know it, Dean. We can not bring that gun. We can't."
"Fine."
"I'm serious, Dean."
"I said fine, Sam." Dean took the colt out of his pocket and held it up to show Sam before putting into the trunk.
"Come on boys." Aeron said softly. "Let's go and bring your dad back."
SPNSPN
The three of them are walking by the river. They walked up by some trees and Dean stopped.
"Hey, hey." Dean called to them both.
Aeron and Sam stop to look at him.
"Think I know what Meg meant by Sunrise."
The two of them looked over and saw an apartment building with a sign that said Sunrise Apartments on it.
Dean rubbed his face. "Son of a bitch. That's pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people they can possess almost anybody inside."
"Yeah, and make anybody attack us." Sam said letting out a sigh.
"And it also means that we are probably screwed." Aeron said shaking her head.
"And so we can't kill them…" Dean shook his head in disgust. "A building full of human shields."
"They probably know exactly what we look like, too. And they could look like anybody." Sam said letting out a sigh.
"Yeah, this sucks out loud."
"Tell me about it. Alright, so, how the hell are we going to get in?" Sam asked looking at Dean and Aeron.
Dean looked over at the building for a minute.
Aeron had a smirk on her lips. "It's a little illegal…"
Dean looked over at her and could tell that she had come up with the same idea that he had. Oh ho she was a bad girl then to think that. "Pull the fire alarm, get out all the civilians." Dean said with a cheeky smile.
"Okay, but then the city responds in, what, seven minutes?" Sam asked looking at the two of them.
"Seven minutes exactly."
"So who's going in?" Aeron asked looking at the two boys.
Dean's grin went wider. "I take it you pulled the fire alarm before and I know I have pulled one."
Aeron nodded her head. "Yeah I pulled one or two in my time of being a hunter." She said with a cheeky smirk.
"Then it comes down to the one who hasn't."
"Dean." Sam's eyes went wide. "Me? Really?"
Dean smiled at his brother. "Yep, you. Your turn to pull a fire alarm."
Sam let out a sigh. "Alright. I'll do it."
"Try not to draw attention to yourself." Aeron told him.
Sam nodded his head and went towards the apartment complex.
Aeron ran her hand through her hair and shook her head. "And now we wait." She muttered letting out a soft breath.
"And hope that Sammy doesn't draw attention to himself." Dean said agreeing with what she had said before.
Sam came back out and walked over to the two of them. "Now what is the rest of the plan."
"Distraction." Aeron said looking at the two of them. "At least when the firemen get here."
"I got a plan in mind." Dean said with a smile. He looked at her. "Care to play along?"
"Play along with what? She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Pretend to be my girlfriend."
"No. We don't need to play that card. I'm not going to pretend to be a fiancee or girlfriend for a bit. It only goes for so long." She muttered.
Dean nodded his head not really listening to her after she said no to him. Which was fine. He actually thought that it was a good idea. But if Aeron didn't think so well then that's fine too.
SPNSPN
Dean walked up to one of the firemen. "Hey, what's happening? Is it a fire?"
"We're figuring that out right now, sir. Just stay back." The fireman said moving Dean back some.
"Well, I've got a Yorkie upstairs and he pees when he's nervous…"
"Sir, you have to stay back."
Sam moved behind them to the fire truck. He picked opened the compartment to the truck.
Aeron was able to follow Sam.
Sam handed her some of the items.
"Thanks." She whispered.
Sam nodded his head.
SPNSPN
The three of them had gotten into the building dressed in full fireman gear.
Dean was using his EMF to check the doors to the apartments. He was hoping to find some sort of presence. "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
"You never told me that." Sam said looking at his brother.
"Oh come on boys we don't have time for this." She told them shaking her head.
Dean's EMF started to go off. Dean put it back into his pocket and pounded on the door. "This is the fire department. We need you to evacuate."
The three of them shoved the door open. The three of them came into the apartment. The three of them used the holy water that they had in their tanks.
Dean punched the man and shoved him into a closet in the apartment. "Come on."
"Damn it Sam get her off of me." Aeron growled out. Somehow she ended up underneath the demon that was possessing that woman.
Sam grabbed the woman and shoved her in as well to join the other demon.
Dean leaned against the door. "Hurry up." He looked at Aeron. "A little help!"
Aeron moved across the room quickly and pressed her back against the closet door. The last thing that they needed were those demons trying to bust through the door.
Sam grabbed a canister of salt from the duffle bag and ran a line of salt around the closet door.
The pounding stopped and the three of them were able to remove the fireman gear. The three of them went to the bedroom door and opened it.
John was lying in the middle of the bed.
Dean walked over with a worried look on his face.
Aeron and Sam watched from the door.
"Dad?" Dean leaned over and listened to his chest to make sure that was alive. "He's still breathing."
Sam let out a breath that he had been holding.
"That's good." Aeron said with a smile.
Dean shook John. "Dad, wake up. Dad!" He pulled out his knife and was about to cut the ropes that were on his father's wrists.
"Wait. Wait." Sam said quickly moving towards his brother.
"What?"
"He could be possessed for all we know."
"What, are you nuts?" Dean looked at his brother like he had grown another head.
"Sam's right." Aeron said softly moving some.
"Dean we got to be sure." Sam took the flask of holy water out and sprinkled it onto his father. It had no effect.
John moaned. He was starting to come around. "Sam? Why are you splashing water on me?"
"Dad, are you okay?" Dean asked him.
Aeron closed the door behind her walking closer to the newly reunited family.
"They've been drugging me. Where's the Colt?"
"Don't worry dad, it's safe." Sam said with a smile.
Dean cut him loose.
"Good boys. Good boys."
Aeron smiled a small smile. "That they are John."
"Ron." John said looking at her. "It's good to see you working with them still."
"Hell they wouldn't be able to lose me until this was all over." She told him with a small smile. "Let's get him out of here."
The three of them went out of the room. Sam and Dean were carrying their father out of the bedroom.
"Fuck." Aeron said noticing the door was kicked open.
"Go! Go!"
"Back! Back!" Dean yelled.
They went back into the bedroom.
Aeron slammed the door and locked it. She squeaked when an axe came behind her hitting the door and breaking through a little bit. She moved quickly. "Sam!"
Sam ran a line of salt at the bedroom door. "Come on." He said grabbing onto her arm. He quickly pulled her towards the window that Dean and John went out.
"Sam, Aeron, let's go!" Dean called for them.
Aeron slipped through the window.
Sam tossed her the duffle bag which she caught and he went through the window. He ran salt on the window sill.
Dean helped his father down.
Sam got down and helped Aeron down since she was short. Sam then went ahead of them. Sam was attacked by a man that was with Meg before hand. He knocked Sam down to the ground. He began to punch Sam over and over again.
Dean laid John down. "Aeron stay with Dad."
Aeron nodded her head.
"Sam!" He yelled running over and kicked the man in the face, but it had no effect.
The man threw Dean into a parked car shattering the windshield. He turned his attention back to Sam and began to beat on him again.
Bang!
The man stopped and slumped off of Sam onto the ground dead.
Aeron looked at Dean in shock. He had the Colt.
Dean put the gun away and went over to Sam. "Sam!" He picked him up. "Sam, come on! Come on!" He said getting his little brother up to his feet.
The two of them looked at the dead man.
"Come on. We got to get out of here."
The two of them go over to where John and Aeron is and get John up.
"What the hell was that Dean!" Aeron shouted at him as they got out of the area in a hurry. Aeron couldn't believe that Dean had used the gun on a demon while he was in a human. That wasn't good. It never was good. They only had two bullets left to kill the son of a bitch and Dean had fucked up by killing that one.
"Later Aeron!" He snapped. He was not going to have this 21 year old bitch him out. He almost had lost Sammy and he wasn't going to lose his baby brother to a demon. No way in hell that was ever going to happen.
SPNSPN
The four of them had gone to a cabin.
John was sound asleep on a bed.
Sam was pouring salt along the window sill. He was worse for wear. His face was bruised bloody and swollen.
Aeron was busy looking through the book that Bobby had let Sam borrow.
Dean came into the room.
Sam didn't look at Dean. "How is he?"
"He just needed a little rest, that's all. How are you?"
"I'll survive." He looked at Dean. "hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?" He asked in concern.
Dean rubbed his face. "I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, we couldn't have found a more out of the way place to hole up."
"Yeah…" Sam rubbed his face carefully. "Hey, uh… Dean, you, um… you saved my life back there."
"So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?"
"Man, I'm tryin to thank you here."
"You're welcome."
Aeron shook her head and continued to look through the book that she was sitting with.
Sam moved across the room.
"Hey Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there."
"You didn't have a choice Dean."
"Yeah, I know, that's not what bothers me."
"Then what does?"
"Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn't hesitate. I didn't even flinch. For you or dad things I'm willing to kill it's just uh… it scares me sometimes."
"Dean…" Aeron said looking up from the book. "You put them out of their suffering. The man was broken too." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "That demon was the only thing keeping him alive." She stood up. "It may scare you, but…"
"It shouldn't scare you." John said coming into the room. "You did good."
Aeron looked at John. Now granted Dean did good, but John saying that it shouldn't scare him. There was something wrong there. Something was wrong.
"You're not mad?" Dean asked in confusion.
"For what?"
"Using a bullet."
"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you… you watch out for this family. You always have."
"Thanks."
The wind began to pick up and the lights began to flicker.
The men go to the window.
Aeron stood back looking at John with narrow eyes. There was something off about John. She was running the thoughts through her mind. And it was a tired mind at that. There was no way that she was going to come up with the answer not at that moment. Not when there was a demon coming for them.
"It found us. It's here."
"The demon?" Sam asked John.
"Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door."
"I already did it."
"Well, check it, okay? Take Ron with you."
"Okay." Sam looked at Aeron. "Come on." He said softly to her.
Aeron ran a hand through her hair and placed the book down where she was sitting at and followed Sam out of the room.
The two of them made sure that the salt lines were still good and perfect like Sam had done them.
"I don't know why he would have us double check." Sam said shaking his head not knowing why his father would ask him to double check.
"Maybe he thinks that the wind might break it, but…" Aeron looked around and didn't feel any wind inside. "There is no wind here."
Sam looked at her. "You think that there is something up."
Aeron turned sharply on her heels. "There is something wrong. When we found John…"
"What Aeron…" Sam was confused. What the hell was she talking about? Perhaps her not sleeping enough was getting to her. After all they hadn't slept in a few days now thanks to what had been going on due to the demon. "What are you trying to say?"
"I am trying to say that it was too damn easy to get your father out of there. There is something really wrong." Aeron said looking up into his hazel eyes.
The two of them walked back into the other room and saw Dean holding the colt up at John.
"Dean? What the hell's going on?" Sam asked in shock.
"Your brother's lost his mind." John told Sam.
"He's not dad."
"What?"
"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." Dean said getting upset.
"Don't listen to him, Sammy."
"I think Dean's right on this." Aeron said looking at Dean.
"Dean, Aeron, how do you know?"
"Ask your brother more than me." Aeron said looking over at Sam out of the corner of her eyes.
Dean fought back the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes. "He's… he's different."
"You know, we don't have time for this. Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me."
Sam looked between his father and his brother. He had no idea what to say. He didn't know who was telling him the truth. And Aeron… She believed Dean.
"Sam?" John said.
Sam didn't say anything but kept looking back and forth.
Aeron stood behind Dean. Her eyes narrowed at John.
"No. No." Sam moved to stand by his brother.
John looked at the three young hunters. "Fine. You three are sure, go ahead. Kill me." John looked down and waited.
Dean held the gun on him, but he couldn't pull the trigger.
"I thought so." John looked back up but his eyes aren't normal they're yellow.
Sam lunged at John and gets thrown against the wall.
Dean is thrown and pinned against the wall and he drops the colt.
John picked the colt up. He used his powers to bring Aeron to him. His hand in her short hair causing her to scream. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been." He grumbled out.
"It's you, isn't it? We've been looking for you for a long time." Sam said narrowing his eyes, realizing that this was the demon and he was inside his father.
"Well, you found me." He said looking at Sam.
"But the holy water?"
"You think something like that works on something like me?"
Sam tried to fight the force that had him pinned. But he couldn't break it. "I'm gonna kill you!" He yelled.
"Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact." He put the gun down onto the table. "Here. Make the gun float to you there, psychic boy."
Sam looked at the gun and it didn't move.
"Well, this is fun." He walked over to the window beside Dean dragging Aeron with him.
"Let me go you son of bitch."
John looked down at her narrowing his yellow eyes at her. "Oh such a mouth on someone with virtue." He looked at Dean. "I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this…" He let out a sigh. "This is worth it."
Dean struggled, but can't move because he is pinned.
John looked over him. "Your dad… he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says hi, by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."
"Let him go, or I swear to God…"
"What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." He said moving towards Dean. "You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."
"Who, Meg?"
"The one in the alley? That was my boy. You understand."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"What? You're the only one that can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family." He smiled at Dean. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch."
"I wanna know why. Why'd you do it?" Sam questioned the demon that was inside of his father. He wanted to know why.
John turned to Sam. "You mean why did I kill mommy and pretty little Jess?"
"Yeah."
John turned back to Dean. "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him." He backed up towards Sam dragging Aeron with him. "Been shopping for rings and everything." He turned to Sam. "You want to know why? Because they got into the way. And the same thing is going to happen to this pretty little pure virgin."
Aeron struggled.
Sam's eyes widened. No… the demon was going to kill her too. That couldn't happen. He wouldn't have someone else's blood on his hands. No. "In the way of what?"
"My plans for you Sammy. You… and all the children like you."
"Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh? Cause I really can't stand the monologuing." Dean bit out. It was bothering him that he couldn't do a damn thing.
John flung Aeron into the wall causing a scream to rip from her mouth. He walked over to Dean. "Funny, but that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Masks all that nasty pain, masks the truth."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don't need you. Not like you need them. Sam… he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight, it's more concern than he's ever shown you."
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." Dean just smiled.
John looked at Dean. He stepped back and looked down. He looked back up.
Dean yelled in pain.
"Dean! No!" Sam yelled for his brother.
Dean began to bleed heavily from his chest.
Sam started to struggle.
"You son of a bitch!" Aeron yelled.
"Oh I will get to you soon sweetheart!"
"Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!" Dean pleaded hoping to get through to his father.
John looked at him again and smiled.
Aeron felt tears come to her eyes. This creature was killing Dean. No… no hunter should ever die a death like this. Never. The screams that came from Dean would haunt her mind.
"Dean! No!" Sam yelled.
Blood was flowing more freely from Dean.
Sam struggled as hard as he could to break free.
Blood began to drop from Dean's mouth. "Dad, please." He passed out.
"Dean!"
"Stop." John whispered.
Sam is free from the wall.
Aeron stumbled to the floor.
"Stop it." John said softly.
Sam dived and grabbed the gun off of the table.
John turned to him his eyes yellow once again.
Sam aimed the gun at him.
"You kill me, you kill daddy."
"I know." Sam said sadly. Sam fired the gun shooting his father in the leg.
He fell down and Dean fell down as well.
Sam gets up and goes to his brother. "Dean?"
Aeron crawled across the floor.
"Dean, hey? Oh God, you've lost a lot of blood." Sam said in shock.
Aeron removed the jacket she wore and did something that Sam was not expecting. She removed the shirt she was wearing. She slipped her jacket over top of her bra clad torso zipping it up before pressing her white shirt onto it to try to stop the bleeding.
"Where's dad?" Dean asked hoarsely.
"He's right here. He's right here, Dean."
"Go check on him."
"Dean."
"Go check on him."
Aeron kept the pressure on Dean's wound. "You'll be okay, Dean." She told him softly. "Go Sam."
Sam got up and went over to check on his father. "Dad? Dad?"
John looked up at his son suddenly. "Sammy. It's still alive. It's inside me. I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!"
Sam aimed the gun at his father.
"Do it now!"
"Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it." Dean pleaded.
"Dean shh, shh." Aeron said running her one hand through his short dirty blond locks hoping that it would soothe him some. Hell she wasn't even sure of anything at that moment.
"You've gotta hurry! I can't hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me! Son, I'm beggin you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"
"Sam, no." Dean called to his brother.
"Dean try not to talk… You are gonna exhaust yourself." She said softly.
"You do this! Sammy! Sam…"
Aeron closed her eyes.
The demon left John in a black cloud and suddenly left and went through the floor.
John looked at Sam accusingly.
"Sam!" Aeron said looking at him.
Sam looked over and saw that Aeron was still holding her white tank top that she had been wearing against Dean's wounds to try and keep the bleeding under control and not lose any more blood.
"We have to get him to the hospital. The both of them."
Sam nodded his head knowing that was true.
SPNSPN
Sam with the help from Aeron had gotten Dean and John in the Impala. John in the front seat while Dean was in the back seat. Sam drove and Aeron kept pressure on Dean's wound.
John gasped in pain.
Dean was leaning over Aeron's hand that was keeping the pressure on it.
Aeron's other hand was going through his hair in a soothing motion. Something that she had learned from her mother years ago.
"Look, just hold on, alright. The hospital's only ten minutes away." Sam said softly trying to reassure himself perhaps that they would get to the hospital quickly.
Aeron looked at him from the back seat. What a way to reassure yourself when you aren't even sure.
"I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye to eye on this? Killing this demon comes first before me, before everything. Hell Ron would have done it." John said wincing in pain.
"Sorry John, but that's where you're wrong." Aeron said shaking her head. "I would shoot you, but not with the Colt. With Rock Salt yes, but not a bullet."
Sam looked in the rear view mirror at Dean and saw Aeron close to his brother trying to keep him conscious and the bleeding down. He could see that she was covered in his blood. He was glad that she was there, but he never wanted to see her covered in his brother's blood. In no one's blood. "No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we've still got the Colt. We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, alright? I mean, we already fund the demon…"
No one saw the eighteen wheeler and it slammed into the passenger side of the Impala at full speed driving it sideways off of the road.
Dean, Sam, John, and Aeron were all knocked out. Dean's head leaning against the window, Aeron sprawled across Dean her head coming to rest on his shoulder, Sam head back against the seat and John's head on his seat as well. All of them covered in blood due to the accident.
I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin'.
I see bad times today
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
I hear hurricanes a blowing
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
All right!
Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather
One eyes is taken for an eye
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
Don't go out tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life.
There's a bad moon on the rise.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
This is the end of Chapter 7 and the end of Hell in a Handbasket. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. I will try to get the next story, Temporary Home out as soon as possible. But reviews keep me going. Until next time guys.