1.22
Dean hangs up. "They've got Dad."
"Meg?" Sam asks. Dean nods. "What'd she say?"
"I just told you, Sammy... Okay. Okay."
Dean takes the colt and tucks it in to the back of his pants.
"What are you doing, Dean?" Sam asks.
Dean grabs his bag. "We got to go."
I grab my bag.
"Why?" Sam asks
"Because the demon knows we're in Salvation, alright," says Dean. "It knows we got the Colt. It's got Dad – it's probably coming for us next."
"Good. We've still got three bullets left. Let it come."
"Listen, tough guy, we're not ready, okay? We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving... now!"
Sam makes a serious pouty face and he's so pathetic I don't complain and just get in the backseat.
"I'm telling you, Dean, we could have taken him," says Sam.
"What we need is a plan," says Dean. "Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun."
Sam shakes his head.
"What?" asks Dean.
"Dean, if that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade? Dad, he might be..."
"Don't!" yells Dean.
"He's not," I say.
"Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you guys," says Sam. "But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job."
"Screw the job, Sam!" yells Dean.
"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going."
"Quit talking about him like he's dead already. Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything."
Sam pauses. "So how do we find him?"
"Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken."
"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?"
"You're right. We need help."
We keep driving. I fall asleep and wake up…somewhere vaguely familiar.
"How do you know he won't shoot us?" I ask, my head still leaning on the window.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," says Dean.
"Did you sleep at all?"
"No," says Dean.
"Sam?"
"Fell asleep a couple hours ago."
We arrive at the property. The yard filled with junk cars and all sorts. Bobby doesn't look exactly impressed to see us.
"What happened?" he asks, inviting us all in.
Sam and Dean fill him in. Bobby hands me a towel.
"Really?" I ask.
Bobby nods to go upstairs. "I swear to God if they leave me here…"
"They won't," Bobby says.
I go shower and come back downstairs, there are books out everywhere. Bobby hands Dean as a flask.
"What is this – holy water?" asks Dean.
"That one is," Bobby holds out another one. "This is whiskey."
Bobby takes a swig and hands it to Dean. I go to the desk that Sam is working at and lean over his shoulder.
"Bobby, thanks," says Dean. "Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come."
"Nonsense, your Daddy needs help," says Bobby.
"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything."
"Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people."
"Yeah, I guess he does."
"None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back."
"Bobby, this book..." says Sam. "I've never seen anything like it."
Bobby comes over and sits on the corner of the desk. "Key of Solomon? It's the real deal, alright."
"And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?"
"Hell, yeah. You get a demon in - they're trapped. Powerless. It's like a Satanic roach motel."
"I like the sound of that," I say.
"Man, knows his stuff," says Dean.
"I'll tell you something else, too," says Bobby. "This is some serious crap you guys stepped in."
"Oh, yeah? How's that?" asks Sam.
"Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions. Maybe four, tops."
"Yeah?" says Dean.
"This year I hear of 27 so far. You get what I'm saying? More and more demons are walking among us – a lot more."
"Do you know why?" asks Sam.
"No, but I know it's something big. The storm's coming, and you guys, your Daddy – you are smack in the middle of it."
The dog barks outside.
"Rumsfeld," Bobby says. He goes over to the window, the dog stops barking. "What is it?" Bobby mumbles to himself. "Something's wrong."
The door knocks in. It's Meg. Sam jumps up and pushes me behind me.
"No more crap, okay?" says Meg.
Dean goes at her, with the holy water. Meg hits him and he goes flying into a pile of books.
Sam shoves me into a corner and goes and steps in front of Bobby.
"I want the Colt, Sam – the real Colt – right now," says Meg.
Sam and Bobby move across the room, Meg follows, I stay put.
"We don't have it on us. We buried it," says Sam.
"Didn't I say "no more crap"? I swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you Chuckleheads. Lacklustre, men. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?"
Dean comes up behind her. "Actually, we were counting on it."
Meg turns around. Dean looks up at the ceiling.
"Gotcha."
Sam and Dean tie Meg up, I help Bobby salt all the doors and windows. It's been a long time since I was here, and it's a little weird how nothing is different. I don't mention anything to Bobby though.
We go back to the living room, Meg is tied to a chair.
"We salted the doors and windows," says Bobby. "If there are any demons out there – they ain't getting in."
"Where's our father, Meg?" Dean asks.
"You didn't ask very nice," says Meg.
"Where's our father, bitch?"
"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't."
Dean goes at her, grabbing the arms of the chair. "You think this is a frigging game? Where is he?! What did you do to him?"
"He died screaming. I killed him myself."
Dean hits her across the face. I look away.
"That's kind of a turn on – you hitting a girl."
"You're no girl."
Bobby comes over. "Dean."
Sam, Dean and I follow him to the next room.
"You okay?" Sam asks.
"She's lying. He's not dead," says Dean.
"Dean, you got to be careful with her. Don't hurt her," says Bobby.
"Why?"
"Because she really is a girl, that's why."
"What are you talking about?" asks Sam.
"She's possessed. That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?"
"Are you trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?"
Bobby nods. I look over at Meg. She's staring at us.
"That's actually good news," says Dean.
"How is that?" I ask.
Dean grins. "We can get it out of her."
Sam goes in to try and find the right exorcism.
"Are you gonna read me a story?" Meg teases.
"Something like that. Hit it, Sam," says Dean.
I lean up against a bookcase. I've never been around an exorcism on a demon before and I don't think it'll go smoothly.
Sam starts reading.
"An exorcism? Are you serious?" Meg asks.
"Oh we're going for it, baby – head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards," says Dean.
Sam continues. Meg flinches.
"I'm gonna to kill you," she says to Sam. Then to Dean, "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body." Then she looks at me and I freeze. "But first I'm going to string you up by your toes and bleed you out while your big brothers watch."
"No," says Dean. "You're gonna burn in hell. Unless you tell us where our Dad is. Well, at least you'll get a nice tan."
Sam keeps going. Meg shakes. She gasps in pain. Sam stops.
"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his children one last time. That's when I slit his throat."
Sam reads on.
Dean kneels down in front of her. "For your sake, I hope you're lying. Cause if it's true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me God! Where is he?"
"You just won't take "dead" for an answer, will you?"
"Where is he?!"
"Dead!"
"No, he's not! He's not dead! He can't be! What are you looking at? Keep reading."
Sam continues.
"He will be!" Meg yells.
"Wait! What?!"
"He's not dead. But he will be after what we do to him."
"How do we know you're telling the truth?"
"You don't."
"Sam!"
"A building! Okay? A building in Jefferson City."
"Missouri? Where, where? An address!"
"I don't know."
"And the demon," says Sam. "The one we're looking for - where is it?"
"I don't know! I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."
"Finish it."
"What? I told you the truth!"
"I don't care."
"You son of a bitch, you promised."
"I lied! Sam? Sam! Read."
"Maybe we can still use her," Sam says quietly. "Find out where the demon is."
"She doesn't know."
"She lied."
"Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there. We've got to help her."
Bobby comes over. I stay where I am, back against the bookshelf. It feels….safe.
"You're gonna kill her," says Bobby.
"What?" asks Dean.
"You said she fell from a building. That girl's body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it – that girl is going to die."
"Listen to me, both of you, we are not gonna leave her like that."
"She is a human being."
"And we're gonna put her out of her misery. Sam, finish it."
Sam looks at Dean, Bobby, and then over to me. He finally looks over at Meg.
"Finish it," Dean urges.
Sam takes a breath and keeps going. It doesn't seem like he finishes, but Meg's head flings backwards, black smoke poring out of her and into the ceiling and disappears.
Meg leans forward. I can't see her face. No one moves. Then she slowly lifts her head.
"She's still alive. Call 911," Dean says to Bobby. He turns to me, "Get some water and blankets."
I go to the hallway and grab a blanket out of the cupboard. Then to the kitchen and grab a glass, I fill it with water at the sink as Bobby finishes on the phone. We go back in, and I hand Dean the glass. Sam and Bobby put the blanket over Meg.
"Where is the demon we're looking for?" asks Sam.
"Not there. Other ones. Awful ones," says Meg.
"Where are they keeping our Dad?" asks Dean.
"By the river. Sunrise."
""Sunrise". What does that mean? What does that mean?"
Meg doesn't speak. Or move.
"Is she…dead?" I ask.
Dean sighs. "Yeah."
"You better hurry up and beat it," says Bobby. "Before the paramedics get here."
"What are you gonna tell them?"
"You think you guys invented lying to the cops? I'll figure something out," Bobby gives Sam the book. "Here take this. You might need it."
"Thanks," says Sam.
"Thanks, Bobby," I say.
"Thanks... for everything. Be careful, alright?" says Dean.
"You just go find your Dad. And when you do, you bring him around, would you? I won't even try to shoot him this time."
We pull up at some train tracks in Jefferson City. Sam's nose is stuck in the book and Dean is loading up an awful lot of guns into his bag. I'm leaning on the car, digging the toes of my shoes into the dirt, feeling useless.
"You've been quiet," says Sam.
"Just getting ready," says Dean.
"He's gonna be fine, Dean."
Sam pauses and then goes to the trunk.
"Dude, what are you drawing on my car!" Dean yells.
"It's called a Devil's trap. Demons can't get through it or inside it," explains Sam.
I go over and look at what he's drawing.
"So?" Dean asks.
Sam goes to the other side of the trunk and does the same symbol. "It basically turns the trunk into a lockbox."
"You're not going to put me in there, are you?" I ask.
Sam laughs then pauses. "Well, actually…"
"You're not putting me in a demon-proof lockbox!"
"So why do we need a demon-proof lockbox?" asks Dean.
"So, we have a place to hide the Colt while we go get Dad," says Sam.
"What are you talking about? We're bringing the Colt with us."
"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! 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. 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 cannot bring that gun. We can't."
"Fine," says Dean.
"I'm serious, Dean."
"I said fine, Sam."
Dean takes out the colt and puts it in the trunk. Dean takes the duffel and I put my handgun in my jeans. We walk by the river, hoping to find something.
"Hey, hey," says Dean. We stop. "Think I know what Meg meant by Sunrise."
Sam and I look over the river. There's an apartment building, called "Sunrise Apartments."
"Son of a bitch," says Dean. "That's pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people they can possess almost anybody inside."
"Yeah, and make anybody attack us," says Sam.
"And so we can't kill them – a building full of human shields."
"They probably know exactly what we look like, too. And they could look like anybody."
"Yeah, this sucks out loud."
"Tell me about it. Alright, so, how the hell are we going to get in?"
Dean pauses, thinking. "Pull the fire alarm, get out all the civilians."
"Okay, but then the city responds in, what, seven minutes?"
"Seven minutes exactly."
"If they're fully funded," I point out.
"Good, plenty of time for everyone important to get out," says Dean. "I have an idea."
The idea involves Sam pulling the fire alarm and I get to 'hide' with everyone that evacuates. Worst plan ever if you ask me. Dean's sure the demons won't bother with me if I'm too hard to get to and I start to wonder if I would've preferred the trunk.
I notice a man push past a fireman. This can't be good. I push my way back through the crowd, heading around to the back of the building. I look up. Yep. There they are…with Dad! They go down the fire escape and I run over, reading to help with Dad who looks pretty terrible.
I'm then pushed to the side from nowhere and land with a hard thud onto the pavement. Then I see Sam in front of me, a man – demon- on top of him. Beating the crap out of him.
"Sam!" I yell.
Dean runs over, but the demon shoves him into a parked car, the windshield shatters. The demon goes back to hitting Sam. I try to get up, but my head aches and I feel dizzy, I fall back down.
"Jane, stay down!" Dean yells.
I drop my head, almost relieved, to the ground. There's a gunshot. Then a thud. I look up, the demon, the man, is dead. I look over at Dean, he has the colt.
"Sam!" Dean shouts. "Come on! Come on!"
Dean helps Sam up and then he's over helping me up. My head rushes but I can stand. We go over to Dad, Dean and Sam picking him up and we get out of there as quickly as humanly possible.
We go back to the car, and drive a ridiculous way until Dean spots a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Sam and Dean carry Dad inside. I grab the bags.
Sam and I put salt on all the windows and doors.
"You look like crap," I say to him.
"Thanks," says Sam.
"Are you okay?" I ask. "That…he was going after you pretty bad."
Sam shrugs. "He was going after you first."
"What?"
"I saw him running for you, I thought maybe he thought I'd be more of a target if I came at him. He agreed."
I bite my lip. Thinking on this. "I can be a target too."
Sam laughs. "Yes you can."
Dean comes back into the room.
"How is he?" asks Sam.
"He just needed a little rest, that's all. How are you?"
"I'll survive. Hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?"
"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. You know there's no hot water here?" I ask, finishing salting the last window.
Dean smiles at me.
"Hey, uh... Dean," says Sam. "You, um... you saved my life back there."
"So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?" says Dean.
"Man, I'm trying to thank you here."
"You're welcome. 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 Jane or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh ... it scares me sometimes."
Sam and I stare at Dean.
"It shouldn't. You did good," it's Dad.
"Dad!" I say, and go over and hug him.
Dad groans a little in pain but gently hugs me back.
"You're not mad?" asks Dean.
"For what?" asks Dad.
"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 picks up and the lights flicker. We all look out a window.
"It found us. It's here," says Dad, his grip tightening on my shoulder.
"The demon?" asks Sam.
"Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door."
"We already did it."
"Well, check it, okay?"
"Okay," Sam leaves to check.
"Dean, you got the gun?" asks Dad.
"Yeah," says Dean.
"Give it to me."
Dean takes out the colt. "Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared."
Dad holds out his other hand to Dean, "This is me. I won't miss. Now, the gun, hurry."
Dean pauses and looks at the gun.
"Dean?" I ask.
"Son, please."
Dad's hand grips even tighter on me.
Dean takes a few steps back.
"Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?"
"He'd be furious," says Dean.
"What?
"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me; he'd tear me a new one."
Dean cocks the gun and points it at Dad. "You're not my Dad."
"Dean, it's me," says Dad.
Dean's face hardens. "Let go of Jane then."
Dad scoffs.
"I know my Dad better than anyone," says Dean. "And you ain't him. Let go of Jane."
"Dad?" I ask, trying to step away. He pulls me back to him.
"What the hell's gotten into you?" Dad(?) asks Dean.
"I could ask you the same thing. Stay back."
"Dean? What the hell's going on?" Sam asks coming back into the room.
"Your brother's lost his mind," says Demon Dad.
"He's not Dad," says Dean.
"What?" asks Sam.
"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."
"Don't listen to him, Sammy," says Demon Dad.
"Dean, how do you know?" asks Sam.
"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," says Demon Dad.
Sam looks between us and Dean. He frowns a little at Dad's vice-like grip at me.
"Sam?" asks Demon Dad.
"No. No," says Sam, going to Dean.
"Fine. You're both so sure, go ahead. kill me."
Dean is still aiming the gun. But doesn't shoot.
"I thought so."
Sam runs at us, but he's thrown against a wall, pinned there like magic. Dean too. He drops the colt.
"Ha," says Demon Dad.
He lets go of me but I can't move. At all. He goes over to the colt and picks it up.
"What a pain in the ass this thing's been." He turns around. His eyes are yellow.
"It's you, isn't it?" asks Sam. "We've been looking for you for a long time."
"Well, you found me."
"But the holy water?"
"You think something like that works on something like me?"
"I'm gonna kill you!"
"Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact," he puts the gun on the table, "here. Make the gun float to you there, psychic boy."
Sam does actually look at the gun. But nothing happens.
"Well, this is fun," he walks over to Dean. "I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this... this is worth the wait. 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," says Dean, "or I swear to God –"
"What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice. 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?"
I'm suddenly flung up to the ceiling. My entire body pinned up, I can barely breathe.
"Jane!" Dean yells. "You let her go."
But the demon doesn't seem to notice or care. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch," says Dean.
"I wanna know why. Why'd you do it?"
The demon looks at Sam. "You mean why did I kill Mommy and pretty, little Jess?"
"Yeah."
"You know, I never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him," he walks backwards towards Sam. "Been shopping for rings and everything. You want to know why? Because they got in the way."
"In the way of what?" asks Sam.
"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," says Dean.
The demon goes 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. And dear sweet little Janie, well, she's just the apple of your Daddy's eye, ain't she?"
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh?" says Dean. "Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em."
The demon steps back, head down. He looks back up…and Dean yells in pain.
"Dean! No!" yells Sam.
Dean starts bleeding from his chest. I try to force myself off the ceiling but I can barely wiggle my fingers.
"Dad!" yells Dean. "Dad, don't you let it kill me!"
"Dad, please."
Dean's eyes close.
"Dean!" yells Sam.
I start to cry.
"Stop it," says the Demon.
I look, Sam is somehow free. He dives for the table and gets the colt. Sam aims it at the demon.
"You kill me, you kill Daddy," says the demon.
"I know," says Sam. He shoots him in the leg.
I fall from the ceiling, and land on my shoulder. It hurts like hell. I manage to crawl over to Dean.
"Dean?" I ask.
"Oh god," Sam says. "You've lost a lot of blood."
"Where's Dad?" asks Dean.
"He's right here. He's right here, Dean."
"Go check on him."
"Dean."
"Go check on him."
Sam gets up, I get closer to Dean and place my hands where he's been bleeding. It is a lot of blood.
"Dad? Dad?"
"Sammy! It's still alive. It's inside me, I can feel it," says Dad. I turn to look. "You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!"
Sam points the gun at Dad.
"Don't!" I yell.
"Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it," says Dean.
"You've gotta hurry! I can't hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! shoot me! Son, I'm begging you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"
"Sam, no," says Dean.
"Please," I beg.
"You do this!" says Dad. "Sammy! Sam..."
Dad opens his mouth, and a black cloud escapes out and into the floor. Dad glares at Sam. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Sam and I manage to get Dad and Dean into the car. I crawl into the back with Dean behind the driver's seat and Sam starts driving, getting to the highway at a rapid pace. Dean is slumped over, and Dad groans in pain.
"Look, just hold on, alright," Sam says. "The hospital's only ten minutes away."
"I'm surprised at you, Sammy," says Dad. "Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything"
I see Sam look in the rearview mirror.
"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 found the demon-"
My head hits the window, glass shatters. I see red in my vision, and a horrible spinning sensation. And then nothing.