Authors Note: I've finally been able to continue this story I'm sorry it took so long but life you know. Anyway thank you guys for waiting and I hope yo enjoy.
~ Abandoned House~
It's nighttime and the growling of Impala engine is heard as Sam and Dean park and open the trunk. Dean removes two tasers.
"What do you got those amped up to?" Sam asks.
"A hundred thousand volts."
"Damn."
"Yeah, I want this rawhead extra frickin' crispy. And remember, you only get one shot with these things. So make it count." Dean says.
After getting ready Dean walks to the back door where Jules is playing with her stuffed ladybug.
"Okay bug you know the rules, stay in ther car until we get back." He says to his daughter.
"Okay daddy." The girl says.
Giving her a kiss the brothers enter the house and begin moving down basement stairs with guns and flashlights. Hearing a noise, they move toward a cupboard.
Dean whispers. "On three. One. Two. Three." He swings open the door, a young boy and girl are crouched inside, covering their ears.
"Is it still here?" Sam asks, the children nod.
"Ok. Grab your sister's hand, come on, we gotta get you out of here. Let's go, let's go. Dean instructs the children. 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.
"Sam!" Deanshoots the taser but misses. "Sam, get 'em outta here!"
Sam throwshis taser to Dean. "Here take this!" He runs up the stairs and moves the children out of sight.
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. Heloses 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.
After taking the children to the car Sam runs down the stairs and sees Deanin the corner, unmoving.
"Dean!" He calls.
He runs over and half lifts him, holding his face.
"Dean, hey. Hey."
~Hospital~
Samstands at the desk with a receptionist, hold a crying Juliette in his arms.
"Sir, I'm so sorry to ask. There doesn't seem to be any insurance on file." The receptionist informed him.
"Right. Uh, ok." Samremoves a card from his wallet and hands it to receptionist.
She glancesat card. "Okay, Mr. Burkovitz."
Sam noticestwo cops waiting and walks over.
"Look, we can finish this up later." The officer says looking at the crying girl.
"No, no, it's okay. We were just taking a shortcut through the neighborhood. And, um, the windows were rolled down, we heard some screaming when we drove past the house, and we stopped. Ran in." Sam explains.
"And you found the kids in the basement?" He asks.
"Yeah."
"Well, thank God you did."
Sam sees a doctor walking towards them and excuses himself.
"Sure. Thanks for your help."
"Hey, Doc. Is he..." Sam asks.
"He's resting."
"And?"
"The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart...it's damaged." The Doctor explains.
"How damaged?" Sam wonders.
"We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point. But, I'd give him a couple weeks, at most, maybe a month."
"No, no. There's, there's...gotta be something you can do, some kind of treatment." He begs.
"We can't work miracles. I really am sorry." The Doctor says.
Sam walks away, looking upset.
~Hospital Room.~
Deanis laying in a bed watching TV. He is pale and has dark circles under his eyes. Samenters, carrying a sleeping child as Dean keeps his eyes on the TV.
Dean sounds very weak."Have you ever actually watched daytime TV? It's terrible."
Sam shaking his head and sighing. "I talked to your doctor."
"That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down." Dean says.
"Dean." The manlooks up.
He turns 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 asks.
"Hey, you better take care of that car. Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass and take care of Jules for me please. "Dean says very seriously.
"I don't think that's funny."
"Oh, come on, it's a little funny."
There is a long silence, Sam looks down, fighting tears. Dean sighs.
"Look, Sammy, what can I say, man, it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it, end of story." Dean says.
"Don't talk like that, alright? We still have options." Sam tells him.
"What options? Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."
"Watch me."
~Hotel Room~
Sitting on a bed covered in pages of research about heart care is Sam, he is currently trying to contact his father to inform him about Dean.
"This is John Winchester. I can't be reached. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean. 866-907-3235. He can help." The voicemail says.
Sam is fighting 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."
He hangs up, tosses his phone on the bed and just sits there silently looking at his niece. The little girl hasn't said a wordsince that night and just sittingon the floor mindlessly moving her stuffed ladybug.
The sound ofa knock on the door takes his attention and he looks up quickly, tears in his eyes. He opens it to find Dean leaning against the jam, looking terrible.
Sam is surprised, happy and confused all at once.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I checked myself out." Dean says.
"What, are you crazy?"
He entering the room, leaning on everything within reach. "Well, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot." He shrugs. 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 him.
"Yeah, whatever, dude.Have you even slept? You look worse than me."
Sam helps Dean to a chair. "I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days. Calling every contact in Dad's journal."
"Daddy." Jules cries and runs to her father.
Despite being in pain Dean manages to lift the child into his lap, hugging her.
"Hey bug. You missed me?" He asks.
"Yeah. Are you gonna be okay?"
"Don't worry Jules everything is gonna be fine." Dean says and thankfully she doesn't question him. "So why are calling every contact dad has?"
"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.
"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?"
"I'm not gonna let you die, period. We're going."
The Impala bumps 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. Samgets out and runs around to help Dean, whoopens his door and looks around. A sign next to the tent readsThe Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle.
"Grimacing, Dean starts to pull himself out of the car. Samtries to help as Jules looks around at all the people.
"I got ya." Sam says.
Dean angrilysay. "I got it." And pushes Sam away, but allows Jules to hold his hand.
"Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor." Dean accuses.
"I believe I said a specialist. Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal." Sam says.
"I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent."
An elderly woman with an umbrella passes by.
"Reverend LeGrange is a great man."
"Yeah, that's nice."
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." The protester says.
"Sir, this is a place of worship. Let's go. Move it."
The Sheriff say and they walk away.
"I take it he's not part of the flock." Dean says.
"But when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy." Sam tells him.
"I mean, come on, Sam, a faith healer?"
"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean."
"You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on." Dean says.
"How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?"
"Exactly. We see them, we know there real."
"But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too?" Sam asks.
"Because I've seen what evil does to good people."
Just then a young woman having overheard their conversation speaks. "Maybe God works in mysterious ways."
Dean checks her out and smiles. "Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject."
"Yeah, I'm sure."
He holds out his free hand. "I'm Dean. This is Sam and my daughter Juliette. "
The woman takesDean's hand."Layla. So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"
"Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the both of us." He says.
An older woman approaches and putsher arm around Layla."Come on, Layla. It's about to start."
The women smile at Sam and Dean and move inside the tent.
Dean looksafter her."Well, I bet you she can work in some mysterious ways." He says softly so Jules doesn't hear.
The three enter the tent. The sign at the entrance readsWelcome All Faiths. True Believers Revival.
The tent is full of people finding seats, a small stage at the front has a lecturn with candles on it.
Dean looksaround, tilts his head to the corner.
"Yeah, peace, love, and trust all over."
Sam follows his gaze to a security camera. Dean starts to take a seat but Samputs an arm around him and moves themtoward the front.
"Come on." He says.
"Don't! What are you doing? Let's sit here." Dean tries to protest.
"We're sitting up front."
"What? Why?"
Sam moves them up the aisle. "Come on."
"Oh, come on, Sam."
"You alright?"
"This is ridiculous." He slaps Sam's hands away.
"I'm good, dude, get off me."
Sam lets go and points to two empty seats behind Laylaand her mother.
"Perfect."
"Yeah, perfect." Dean says Sarcastically.
Sam movein first. "You take the aisle."
Samtried to help Dean sit, who raises a hand irritably, he sits and allows Jules to sit on his lap.On stage a blind man wearing sunglasses, Roy Lagrange, is helped to the lecturn by a woman.
"Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it?" Roy says. 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."
People in the crowd murmur "Heis."
"God rewards the good, and He punishes the corrupt."
The Crowd nod, cheering and murmuring.
"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." Roy states.
Dean turn to Sam and quietly says. "Yeah, and into their wallets."
"You think so, young man?" Roy asks.
The crowd immediately falls silent.
"Sorry." Dean apologies.
"No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears." The Crowd Laughs.
"What's your name, son?"
Dean clears his throat, hesitating."Dean."
"Dean." Roy nods to himself. "I want-I want you to come up here with me."
The crowd claps. Layla and her mother don't move. Sue Ann moves to centre stage, smiling at Dean.
Dean shakes his head. "No, it's ok."
"What are you doing?" Sam whispers to his brother.
"You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?" Roy asks.
He is still hestiating."Well, yeah, but ahh..."The crowd claps and makes encouraging noises... "maybe you should just pick someone else."
Sam looks at Deanlike he's insane. The crowd claps loudly.
"Oh, no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did." Roy says.
The crowd is getting more excited "That's right!Yeah!Come on!"
Sam says excitedly. "Get up there!"
Dean reluctantly moves Jules off his lap rises and moves toward the stage. Sue Ann moves to assist and stands him next to Roy.
"You ready?" Roy asks.
"Look, no disrespect, but ahh, I'm not exactly a believer." Dean says.
Roy smiles. "You will be, son. You will be."
The healer turns tothe 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.
"Alright now. Alright now." He says to himself.
Dean's eyes glaze over. His knees weaken and he sinks to his knees, Roy's hand still on his head
"Alright, now." Roy says.
Dean wobbles, his eyes fall back in his head and he slips to the stage floor.
Sam and Jules jumpfrom their chairs and run to the stage."Dean!" "Daddy!"
The crowd is clapping excitedly.
Samgrabs the front of Dean's Hoodie. Dean's eyes burst open and he gasps.
"Say Something!" Sam says.
Deanblinks 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 then turns away and vanishes. Dean watches him, shocked.
Back at the Hospital the three Winchesters are waiting in the room for the doctor.
"So, you really feel okay?" Sam asks.
Dean however still looksunhappy. "I feel fine, Sam."
The Doctor enters 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."
"What do you mean, strange?" Dean asks.
"Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack." The Doctor explains.
"Thanks, Doc."
"No problem." He leaves.
"That's odd." Dean says.
"Maybe it's a coincidence. People's hearts give out all the time, man."
"No, they don't."
"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?" Sam asks.
"Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why."
"What feeling?"
"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." Dean explains.
"But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it, too. I mean, I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately."
"Well, excuse me, psychic wonder. But you're just gonna need a little faith on this one. Sam, I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this."
Sam sighs."Yeah, alright. So, what do you wanna do?"
"I want you to go check out the heart attack guy. I'm gonna visit the reverend."
~Roy LeGrange House~
Roy, Dean and Juliette sit on couches, Sue Annstands, filling a glass.
"I feel great. Just trying to, you know, make sense of what happened." Dean says.
"A miracle is what happened. Well, miracles come so often around Roy." Sue Ann says.
Dean turns to Roy. "When did they start? The miracles."
"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 takes off his sunglasses, his eyes are white. "If it wasn't for these eyes, no one would believe I'd ever had it."
"And suddenly you could heal people." Dean asks.
"I discovered it afterward, yes. God's blessed me in many ways."
"And his flock just swelled overnight. And this is just the beginning." His wife says.
"Can I ask you one last question?"
"Of course you can."
"Why? Why me? Out of all the sick people, why save me?"
"Well, like I said before, the Lord guides me. I looked into your heart, and you just stood out from all the rest." Roy says.
"What did you see in my heart?"
"A young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished." Dean looks slightly surpsurprised.
~Swimming Locker Room~
"I'm telling you, he seemed healthy. Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, bizarre." An employee says to Sam.
"And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?" Sam ask.
"Yeah, yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was after him."
"Did he say what?"
"Well, thin air is what. I mean, it wasn't anything." The employee says.
"Alright, thanks."
As Sam is leaving he notice the clock on the wall isn't working. "Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted."
"Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'. Just froze at 4:17." He says.
"Is that the same time Marshall died?" Sam asks.
The man is surprised. "How'd you know?"
Outside Dean and Jules are leaving, they see Layla and her mother are waiting to go in.
"Dean, Juliette hey." Layla greets the pair.
"Hey." Dean says, as the little girl waves.
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel good. Cured, I guess. What are you doing here?"
"You know, my mom, she wanted to talk to the reverend."
Just then, Sue Ann comes onto the porch.
"Layla?"
"Yes, I'm here again." The woman respondes.
"Well, I'm sorry, but Roy is resting. He won't be seeing anyone else right now."
"Sue Ann, please. This is our sixth time, he's got to see us." Laylas' mother begs.
"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." Sue Ann goes inside.
Mrs.Rourkestares then turns, looking at Dean.
"Why are you still even here? You got what you wanted." She asks on frustration.
"Mom. Stop."
"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."
"Layla, what's wrong?" Dean asks.
The woman hesitantly answered "I have this thing..."
"It's a brain tumor. It's inoperable. In six months, the doctors say..." Her mother says. Laylaputs a hand on her mother's shoulder, stopping her.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
Mrs. Rourke slowly, staring into her daughter's eyes say "No. It isn't." Turninf to Dean. "Why do you deserve to live more than my daughter?" She walks away.
Layla takes a deep shaky breath and follows her down the stairs. Dean watches them go then turns to look back at Roy and Sue Ann's house.
~Motel Room~
Dean enters with Jules, throwing his keys on the bed and beginning to take off his jacket. Sam is on his laptop.
"What'd you find out?" Dean ask
Sam speaks quietly "I'm sorry."
Dean approaches him "Sorry about what?"
"Marshall Hall died at 4:17."
Dean is stunned "The exact time I was healed."
"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"
A woman is jogging along a path, headphones on.
"Someone's healed of cancer, someone else dies of cancer?" Dean say back in the room.
"Somehow. LeGrange...he's trading a life for another."
The woman stops jogging, takes out an earphone and looks into the forest. "Hello"
"Wait, wait, wait. So, Marshall Hall died to save me?" Dean says.
Sam looks upset. "Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed."
Back at the gathering Roy has his hand on the forehead of an old man in a wheelchair with an oxygen tube.
"You never should've brought me here." Dean argues.
"Dean, I was just trying to save your life." Sam says.
"But, Sam, some guy is dead now because of me."
"I didn't know."
"Pray with me, friends." The crowd lifts their arms in the air.
"The thing I don't understand is how is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?" Sam says.
"Oh, he's not doing it." Dean says.
Back in the park the woman is leant over, gasping for breath.
"Something else is doing it for him." Dean says.
"What do you mean?"
"The old man I saw on stage."
The woman turns and the old man is in front of her. She is startled.
Dean answers " I didn't wanna believe it, but deep down I knew."
"You knew what? What are you talking about?" Sam asks.
"There's only one thing that can give and take life like that."
Sam looks at Dean, confused.
"We're dealing with a reaper."
The woman flees down the path, looking back, terrified and gasping. The reaper follows her calmly.
Roy lifts his hands to heaven, preparing to lay them on the old man.
The woman, exhasted now, looks behind her again, seeing the reaper. When she turns forward she crashes into him and falls to he knees. The reaper lays his hand on the side of her face. Her eyes glaze.
Roy lays his hand on the old man's head.
The woman gasps for breath, her face pale. She falls to the ground, dead.
The same reaper, invisible to the crowd, places his hand beside Roy's on the old man's head. The man rises from his wheelchair and falls to his knees. The color returns to his face and he slowly removes his oxygen tube. The crowd gasps and cheers. Roy smiles, and the crowd claps and cheers.
The brothers are sitting at the table.
"You really think it's THE Grim Reaper? Like, angel of death, collect your soul, the whole deal?" Sam wonders.
"No no no, not THE reaper, A reaper. There's reaper law 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 explains.
"But you said you saw a dude in a suit."
"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."
"Maybe."
"There's nothing else it could be Sam. The question is how is Roy controlling the damn thing?"
"That cross." Sam realizes.
"What?"
"There was this cross, I noticed it in the church and I knew I had seen it before."
He looks through some papers and snorts. He holds a card up to Dean. "Here."
Dean leans into take the card. "A 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?"
"So Roy's using black magic to bind the reaper?" Dean asks.
"If he is he's riding the whirlwind. It's like putting a dog leash on a great white."
Dean rises to put his cup in the sink, then leaning back against it. "Ok then we stop Roy."
"How?"
"You know how."
"Wait, what the hell are you talking about Dean, we can't kill Roy."
" Sam the guys playing God, he's deciding who lives and who dies. That's a monster in my book."
Sam tries to reason with his brother. "No. We're not going to kill a human being Dean. We do that we're no better than he is."
"Ok, we cant kill Roy, we can't kill death. Any bright ideas college boy?"
"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."
~Car Park Outside Church Tent~
The Impala bounces down the badly gravelled and potholed road again, passing a sign that saysService Today. They park and exit the car.
"If Roy's using a spell, there might be a spell book." Sam says.
"See if you can find it." Dean looks at his watch.
"Hurry up too, the service starts in fifteen minutes. I'll try to stall Roy."
A man holds out a leaflet to Dean "Roy LeGrange is a fraud. He's no healer."
Dean takes the leaflet "Amen Brother."
"You keep up the good work." Sam says.
"Thank you."
In the house Roy comes down the stairs, assisted by Sue Ann on one arm, a dark haired man the other. Sam and Juliette are watching them leave from the corner of the porch.
He climbs in a window with his niece and starts searching the house. He looks on the bookshelves 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 realizes 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.
Dean is walking slowly up the side aisle. His phone rings.
Speaking into phone. "What have you got?"
"Roy's choosing victims he sees as immoral. And I think I know who's next on his list. Remember that protestor?"
"What, the guy in the parking lot?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll find him. But you can't let Roy heal anyone, alright?:
Dean hangs up and moves further toward the front of the tent.
Outside Sam and Jules start searching the car park
Meanwhile inside the service begins.
"Layla. Layla Rourke. Come up here child." Roy calls.
The crowd bursts into pleased applause. Layla, stunned, looks around then rises to hug her mother.
"Mum. Thank you." She says.
"I love you child." Her mother replies.
Dean watches them hug. "Oh man."
As Layla passes him Dean grasps her arm.
"Layla, listen to me. You can't go up there."
"Why not? We've waited for months!."
"You can't let Roy heal you."
"I don't understand, Roy healed you didn't he? Why can't you let him try?" She asks confused.
"Cause if you do something bad is going to happen. I can't explain. I just need you to believe me"
Dean and Layla stare at each other, as Sue Ann stands waiting.
She holds out her hand. "Layla."
"Please." Dean begs.
Layla stares at the hand Sue Ann is offering, then turns back and stares at her mother, who is standing ringing her hands. Her mother nods at her. Layla looks at Dean and shakes her head.
"I'm sorry."
He calls out as Layla leaves him. "Layla. Layla!"
Sue Ann is smiling and putting her arm around Layla to take her to the stage. "Dear child!"
The crowd continues to clap happily.
"You deserve this." The older woman says.
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 Mrs. Rourke. She is crying and covering her face with her hands.
The other two Winchesters continue to search thr grounds. WhenWright comes running around a car, the reaper following slowly. "HELP!"
Sam turns, searching for where his voice came from.
"Pray with me friends." Roy says.
Turning to Layla. "I hope you're ready."
She smiles softly. "I am."
"Help! Help me please!" Wright calls.
They find him and looking around wildly. "Where is he!"
Wright grabs Sams' shoulder and pointing. "Right there!"
Sam grabs Wright and pulling him away, holding Juliette in his other hand. "Fine, come on."
Roy is about to lay his hands on Layla, who looks enraptured.
When Dean suddenly yells. "FIRE! Hurry, tent's on fire!!"
Layla opens her eyes and looks toward the crowd. Everyone starts to rise and evacuate.
Mrs. Rourke is moving toward the stage. "NO! No, please. Please don't stop. Reverend, please, please! Please don't stop, please!"
Dean watches helplessly.
"Friends, if you'd all just leave the tent in an orderly fashion...and we'll, uh, and we'll figure out what's giong on out there and we'll come back."
Dean pulls out his phone. "I did it, I stopped Roy."
Sam holding phone to his ear and Wright look around.
Outside Sam stops and looks around "David, I think it's ok."
David looks around at Sam, nodding, then turns back. The reaper is in front of him.
"No!"
Sam speaks into phone. "Dean it didn't work.The reaper's still coming!"
The brother are 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." Sam says.
"Then who the hell is?"
Dean looks around and spies Sue Ann beside the stage, facing into the corner and reciting.
"Sue Ann."
Dean runs to her and spins 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.
The reaper is holding his hand to Wright's face. Suddenly he stops, looking confused, and rises.
Sue Ann is staring at Dean and tucking 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 him roughly and pull him away.
The reaper stares at Wright lying on the ground gasping for breath, then turns away and vanishes.
Sam moves to help him up. "I got you. I got you."
"Thank God." The man says.
Two cops manhandle Dean through the entry. He shakes them off as soon as they are outside. Sue Ann follows close behind.
"I just don't understand. After everything we've done for you. After Roy healed you. I'm just very very disappointed Dean"
The man in question stares 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." She leaves.
The cops turn to Dean.
"We catch you round here again son, we'll put the fear of God in you, understand?" The cop says.
"Yes sir, fear of god. Got it."
The cops give him one last push. He turns to find Layla waiting for him.
"Layla?"
"Why would you do that Dean? And it could have been my only chance." She questions.
"He's not a healer."
"He healed you."
"I know it doesn't seem fair, and I wish I could explain. But Roy is not the answer, I'm sorry."
Layla shakes her head sadly. "Good Bye Dean."
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." She says.
Dean replies "Same to you."
Layla turns to walk away again.
"You deserve it a lot more than me." He says under his breath.
Layla walks away past where her mother is talking to Roy and Sue Ann.
"Private session tonight, no interruptions. I give you my word, I'll heal your daughter." Roy says.
Dean walks past behind them to where Sam and Jules are waiting. They both overhear.
"Thank you reverend. God bless you." Mrs. Rourke says.
~Motel Room~
Sam is sitting on the bed. "So Roy really believes."
"I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing." Dean replies.
After getting back to the room he gave Jules her dinner then bathe her before the girl passed out, dead to the world as she lightly snores.
"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."
"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 explains.
"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." Dean realizes.
"Cheating death, literally."
"Yeah but Roy's alive, so why is she still using the spell?"
"Right. To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral."
"May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work."
"We gotta break that binding spell Dean." Sam says.
Dean looksat 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."
"So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the alter?"
"Maybe both. Whatever we do we better do it soon, or he's healing Layla tonight."
The Impala rolls in without lights and stops. The brothers are inside, they chose to leave Jules at the motel since she was asleep and neither wanted to face Bobby if they disturbed her sleep schedule.
"That's Layla's car. She's already here." Sam says.
Dean nods sadly. "Yeah."
"Dean..."
"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 gunna die in a coupla months."
"What's happening to her is horrible. But what are you gunna 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." Roy says.
"Where's Sue Ann?" Dean asks.
"House." Sam says.
The boys move to the house.
"Go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up." Dean tells him.
Thw younger man ask as he's being pushed away."What are you gunna...?"
Dean spys the two cops from earier coming down the stairs. "Hey!"
The cops look over.
"You gunna put that fear of God in me?"
The cops drop their coffee and run at Dean, who takes off.
As soon as they're gone Sam runs up the stairs and checks around the house. It is in darkness.
He turns back, confused, then spots light emerging from the cracks of the outside basement entrance.
Dean silently creeps up beside a camper van. The cops are on the other side with flashlights.
"You see him?"
"Nah."
Sam moves toward the basement entrance, opens the doors and slips inside
Dean slowly rises next to the passenger window of the camper van, looking behind him. A large dog jumps at the window, barking wildy and he leaps back. On the other side of the van the cops shine their lights underneath, then in at the dog who is still barking.
"Psycho mutt." The cop says.
They move on, the camera pans to the roof as Dean sticks his head over. He looks around tensely, then sags against the roof.
Sam moves 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.
Sue Ann moves from behind Sam, startling him."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.
"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." She says.
He turns to survey the room as the woman keeps talking.
"Good Bye Sam."
He pulls a block off wood out from the wall and smashes out a small boarded up window.
In the tent the service is proceeding.
"Mrs Rourke, pray with me now." "Roy takes her hand."Pray with me friends."
Dean is heading toward the tent when some lights go out. He stops, looking behind him, and watches the line of lights lighting the path go out one by one. He turns back to see the reaper walking toward him.
Roy raises his hands. "All right now. All right."
He places his hand on Layla's head.
Just outside the door Sue Ann is reciting Latin and holding the cross in her hands.
The reaper places his hand on the side of Dean's head causing him to convulse once.
Inside the church Layla is sinking to her knees, outside Dean is doing the same. His eyes glaze over.
Sue Ann is reciting, holding up the cross, as 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.
Roy raises his hand from Layla's head, confused.
"I don't understand..." He says.
"I don't...feel any different...?" The woman says heartbroken.
Sue Ann falls to her knees beside the blood. "My God, what have you done!"
"He's not your God." Sam says.
Layla looks up at Roy, confused. "Reverend?"
"Sue Ann?" The man calls to his wife.
Outside, 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.
Leaving her lying there, Sam turns and goes to look for Dean.
Dean makes it back to the Impala just as Sam approaches.
"You Ok?" Sam asks.
Deam simply shakes his head. "Hell of a week."
"Yeah...All right, come on. We should get going."
The enter the car.
Back at the motel Dean sits on the bed, staring at nothing.
Sam is watching him. "What is it?"
"Nothing."
Sam waits a few seconds. "What is it?" He repeats gently.
"We did the right thing here didn't we?" Dean ask.
"Of course we did."
The older man 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 turns to look. It is Layla.
"Hey Layla. Come on in." Sam greets her.
"Hey." She enters, as Dean quickly rises.
"How did you know we were here?"
"Sam...called. He said you...wanted to say goodbye?"
Dean glances at Sam, who is at the door, looking sheepish.
"I'm gunna...grab a soda." Sam leaves, closing the door behind him. Leaving the two adults and still sleeping child.
"So, uh. Where are you going?" She asks.
"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."
"What happened?"
She sits on the empty bed. "Nothing. He laid his hands on my forehead but nothing happened."
Dean sits beside her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry it didnt work."
"And Sue Ann. She's dead you know? Stroke."
"Yeah I heard. You know Roy's a good man. He doesn't deserve what's happened." Dean says.
He looks at Layla.
"Must be rough. To believe in something so much, and have it disappoint you."
Layla smiles. "You wanna hear something weird?"
He 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."
"So what now?"
"God works in mysterious ways."
Layla lays her hand softly on the side of Dean's face, staring at him.
"Good Bye Dean."
She rises and moves toward the door. Dean closes his eyes for a second, remaining still.
He rises and turing to face Layla. "Well..." He clears his throat as Layla turns back to face him. "I'm not much of the praying type...but...I'm gunna pray for you."
Her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Well...There's a miracle right there."
Layla turns and leaves the room. Dean stands staring at the door.