Chapter Forty-Four

Saccharine Nightmares

Bobby's House: August 1, 2010 - Morning

Bobby taped up the last box before standing up to glance around his office. He'd never seen the place so empty. They'd packed up many of his books to avoid risking them falling into the wrong hands if the worse happened. He'd tried to use that as an excuse for Garth to come with them, since he'd have to reach out for certain information anyway. It hadn't worked, and it looked like the boy wasn't going to budge on the matter unless something bad happened. As much as Bobby wanted Garth to come, he really didn't need anything else to go wrong.

"That's the last of it?" Dean asked as he walked back in, wiping sweat from his brow.

"That's the last of it," Bobby said. "I still don't know how Crowley has been transporting all this."

"And I don't want to know," Dean said firmly. "It works so I'm ignoring it."

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Bobby joked.

"It died when I was like 7," Dean whined.

Bobby snorted but didn't bother to argue. He leaned against his desk, looking around the house. He was trying in vain to memorize the layout, knowing there was a chance he'd never come back, but it was difficult. For every happy memory he pulled up, a sad or angry one soon followed. That was the downside of staying in this house all these years. Sure, he'd made it his own over time, but a lot of bad had happened in these walls.

"Garth headed to the store to stock up?" Bobby asked.

Dean nodded, falling onto the couch. "Yeah, think he was making the hour drive to hit a big box store. Said he'd be back later, but not to wait up."

"Fair enough." Bobby glanced up at the ceiling in thought. "Are the others about ready to head out?"

"Yeah. I think Azrial and Crowley were trying to explain planes to Marcus."

Bobby shot Dean a concerned look. "You gonna be okay with the flight?"

"I'm not sure," Dean said. "My fear of heights has gotten better, but...who knows about flying. Azrial said Cas could always knock me out if it became an issue."

"Well, hopefully it won't come to that."

Dean hummed in agreement, just as Sam came down the steps with his carry-on in hand. He dropped it by the door where a small pile was forming, and then fell on the couch next to Dean.

"I think Marcus is gonna have to see a plane before he understands what it is," Sam said.

Dean snorted. "Wasn't it the same with the computer?"

"I still don't think he gets computers," Sam said. "But he does seem to like Excel?"

"I feel like that can only end badly for his enemies." Dean chuckled, tilting his head in thought. "Or work out really damn well for us."

Bobby was about to say something when a strange smell hit his nose. It was sweet, sickeningly so. He scrunched his brows, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from.

"You boys smell that?" he asked, picking up his pistol from the desk.

"Smell what?" Sam asked, sniffing the air. "I don't smell anything."

Dean's hand was over his nose, and he looked pale. "I smell it. It's like the room is drenched in cotton candy."

Bobby frowned, eyeing the windows. "Crowley, come down here!"

He didn't have to wait long before Crowley appeared next to him. The demon looked ready to say something before his face scrunched up in disgust.

"What the bloody hell is that stench?" Crowley demanded.

"That's what I'm tryin' to figure out," Bobby said. "Sam can't smell it."

Crowley raised an eyebrow, taking in Dean's reaction versus Sam's. Bobby noted that Dean looked ready to vomit, and was getting paler by the moment.

"Crowley?" Azrial's voice carried down the steps, and Bobby stiffened at the fear laced through it.

Marcus came into the room, stumbling slightly and holding Azrial in his arms. Crowley shot forward, looking over the archangel.

"What happened?" Crowley demanded. "And will someone open a damn window?"

"She started to complain of a headache," Marcus said. "Then, I do not know. She simply insisted we find you."

Bobby walked toward the window in his office and tried to open it. The damn thing didn't budge, and panic started to build in his chest.

"Sam, check the door," Bobby ordered. "Marcus, put Azrial down and give me a hand."

Sam shot out of the room and Bobby heard someone coming down the steps, probably Castiel. He was still trying to pull the window up, but it didn't move.

Marcus came up next to him, frowning at the window. "Let me try."

Bobby nodded, and stepped aside. His head was starting to hurt too, and it was getting harder to focus. The sweet smell was overwhelming to the point of nausea. As if on queue, Dean wretched, but was thankfully able to keep his lunch down.

"What's happening?" Bobby asked Crowley. "This can't be normal."

"It isn't," Crowley said. "But I can't pinpoint what's happening. Obviously it's affecting those who have spent time in Hell."

"But I haven't!" Bobby snapped. "Yet my eyes feel like they're about to jump outta my damn head."

"You had Azrial in you," Crowley growled. "Did you think there wouldn't be side effects to that?"

"It will not open," Marcus said as he walked up. "Sam seems fine, and I do not feel anything either."

"Then what the hell is going on?" Bobby asked, shooting a worried glance at the couch. Dean was breathing heavily, and Azrial seemed to have passed out.

"Poison," Castiel hissed as he stumbled toward the couch. "It must be a poison."

Crowley froze. "Then we're being attacked. Where is Gabriel?"

The sound of feathers filled the room, and Gabriel stumbled toward the desk. "I'm here, I'm here. I'm trying to pinpoint what the poison is, but I can't properly smell it."

"Yet you seem dazed," Marcus said. "Is it still affecting you?"

Gabriel waved off the concern. "Nah, I'm just freaking exhausted from acting like a pack mule."

Gabriel leaned over, lifting Dean's chin and running a critical eye over him.

"It's hitting Dean and Azrial the worst," Gabriel said as he gently guided Dean to fully lay down. "Castiel, sit your ass down before I knock you out."

"Will it affect Marcus and I?" Sam asked. "I mean, we can't smell it either."

"Crowley, you've realized what this is, right?" Gabriel asked, ignoring Sam's question.

"I'd hoped you'd come up with another option," Crowley said. "But yes, I have an idea."

"Sam, it's gonna knock us all out, it's just a matter of time." Gabriel paused, shooting a worried glance at Azrial. "I'm worried about the prolonged effects on these two though."

"What is it?" Sam demanded. "There has to be something we can do!"

"The solution would be to get out of here," Gabriel said. "Which we obviously can't do. Whoever planned this shit...they were smart."

"Balls," Bobby hissed. "So what do we do?"

"I think we should knock ourselves out." Gabriel held up his hands when Sam started going off. "Please, hear me out!"

Sam scowled, but nodded tensely. Bobby nabbed a bandana from his desk and held it over his nose. The smell of oil was a pleasant cover against the overwhelming sweetness of the room. He offered a spare one to Crowley, but was waved off.

"If we knock ourselves out, then whoever is doing this will come inside. Since it's likely demons, they'll have to stop pumping this shit into the house."

"But that leaves us sitting ducks," Sam said.

"If they wanted to kill us they would have upped the concentration of poison," Gabriel said. "They want us knocked out, not dead."

"And they will not expect all of us," Marcus said. "Gabriel and I were not part of your group before this."

"They're both right," Castiel said from the armchair. "Our best bet, especially for Azrial and Dean, is to stop the poison. Am I correct in thinking this is Hell's Kiss?"

"The fact it's only affecting those touched by Hell points to that," Crowley said.

"Then knock us out," Castiel demanded. "Azrial will be able to handle prolonged exposure, but it could kill Dean. We can't risk that."

Bobby shut his eyes, grinding his teeth. He hated this, but what other choice did they have? He opened his eyes to see Gabriel staring at him expectantly.

"What?" he growled.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "I'd like permission before I knock out your kid."

"Do it, but what about the rest of us?"

"I can knock myself out," Crowley said.

"I ain't gonna ask," Bobby muttered. "Nobody do anything stupid when we wake up. This may work out really well if you let Dean do the talking at first."

He really should have expected Gabriel to knock his worried ass out first, but the few seconds before he passed out still came as a shock.