Closing the Circle (PG-13)
Het alert, for the gen-only crowd....
Summary: John Winchester was once told that what was coming after his boys would eventually break into Cazadore, but that his boys would be ready. It's broken in -- are they ready?
Closing the Circle
by San Antonio Rose and Enola Jones
September 20, 2008
It was a bright Saturday morning in Cazadore, Texas, when a balding, white-haired man in a business suit walked up to a certain door and knocked. The door was opened by a dark, petite woman who was holding her bathrobe closed higher than usual.
“Good morning, madam,” said the man with an ingratiating smile. “Might I speak to the man of the house?”
“I’m afraid my husband can’t come to the door,” she replied. “Might I inquire as to the nature of your business?”
“I’m empowered to speak only to him.”
“I am empowered to speak for my husband.”
He handed her his card. “Would you please just tell Mr. Winchester that Zachariah Adler would like a word?”
She took it in her left hand and looked at it while her right, curved in a C, first touched her left shoulder and crossed to touch her right hip. Adler blinked but did not otherwise react. She nodded once. “Wait here, please.”
Then she closed and locked the door.
Adler wasn’t a demon, Daphne Winchester reasoned as she climbed the stairs while studying the business card. She’d suspected as much from the fact that he was standing under the devil’s trap on the porch, and his non-reaction to her signing the name of Christ just confirmed it. But she didn’t like him, and she wasn’t at all sure he was human.
They kept an ashtray and lighter in the guest room, so Daphne rubbed a little salt on the card and started it burning in the ashtray before going into the bathroom, where Dean was in the shower.
“Honey, there’s a man at the door who wants to talk to you. Says his name’s Zachariah Adler.”
Dean grunted.
“Do you know him?”
“Nope. You shower yet?”
“No.”
Dean’s hand reached out from behind the shower curtain and untied her bathrobe.
“Honey, he’s on the doorstep.”
“Let him wait.”
Shaking her head in amusement, she shrugged out of her bathrobe and got into the shower.
Fifteen minutes later, the door opened again to reveal a tall, well-built young man with green eyes and dark blond hair and a general air of insolence, clad only in blue jeans and a bronze amulet and holding a sawed-off shotgun. He and his wife, who had reappeared at his side in pajama pants and a tank top, apparently had matching tattoos over their hearts.
“Yeah?” said the husband, lounging against the door jamb.
“Dean Winchester?”
“Yeah.”
“Zachariah Adler. I’m an acquaintance of your father’s.” Adler held out his hand, but Dean didn’t take it. Flustered, Adler cleared his throat and continued, “I represent a certain group of businessmen. We understand your father has something of interest to us in his storage facility in New York, and we were hoping that you and your brother could either locate him for us or retrieve the item for us yourselves.”
“My dad doesn’t do business with the Mafia.”
Adler chuckled. “No, Dean, you’ve got the wrong idea. We are... like hunters, but dealing with evil on a... slightly higher plane. But there could be disastrous consequences for your family if we’re not able to retrieve this item soon.”
“Get off my land.”
Adler’s smile turned strained. “I’m sorry?”
“You don’t get off my porch before I count ten, you will be. And if you come near my family again, I will kill you.”
“Dean-”
Dean racked the shotgun. “One.”
Adler raised his hands in surrender and backed away.
Dean’s cell phone rang when Adler reached the street. “Yeah, Sammy,” Dean answered.
“Who was that?”
Dean glanced at Daphne for a moment. “Calls himself Zachariah Adler.”
She nodded.
“Never heard-Dean.”
Dean glanced back out the door. Adler had disappeared.
Dean cursed. “Where’d he go?”
“He didn’t. He just vanished.”
“You and Trish better get over here now.”
“Right.” Sam hung up.
There was a tunnel that connected their basements. It had taken them the better part of 18 months to build, ward, shield and bless.
That was how Sam and Tricia ran to their brother’s house.
Dean and Daphne had just filled them in when another knock sounded at the door-shave-and-a-haircut, followed by the doorbell. Bill Cooper’s signature.
Still, Dean checked before he opened the door.
“Hey, Dean,” Cooper nodded as he slid inside. “Sam, girls.”
Cooper, Sam signed.
“We’ve got a problem, gang. But I think I need to wait to explain it to you until my brother gets here.”
Daphne blinked. “We’re finally going to meet this mystery brother of yours?”
“Yep. And he should be arriving right about... now.”
There was a single knock on the door.
“There he is.” Cooper turned and opened the door, and a slightly taller, much thinner man with dark hair slipped inside. Then Cooper locked the door, sliced open his wrist with a penknife, and swiftly drew two sigils on the door with his blood. Sighing, he turned back to the others. “Winchesters all, this is my brother Castiel.”
“Holy shit!” Dean yelped aloud, passing the gun to Daphne and racing forward, grabbing Cooper’s arm. “What the hell! Sammy, get the first aid kit!”
“No need for that, Dean.” And as Dean watched, the cut... disappeared.
Dean’s eyes grew huge. He stepped back, signing the name of Christ frantically.
Castiel tilted his head in confusion. “He is not a demon.”
“You sound like Dean,” Daphne gasped.
Cooper snorted. “They say owners start to look like their pets-guess guardians start to sound like their charges.”
“Wait... guardian....” Sam’s eyes were huge.
Castiel nodded sagely. “Yes, Sam. I am an angel of the Lord, and I have been assigned to guard you and Dean for many years.”
“Hold on!” Dean cried. “You said he’s your brother!”
“Yeah, about that,” Cooper replied. “Ever notice that my professional name is G. William Cooper?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Name’s Gabriel.”
He could see the instant it hit Dean. He stepped backward as if struck.
“Castiel and I were both assigned to guard you against Azazel... and his allies.”
Daphne frowned. “But you’ve lived here....”
“Longer than they have, I know. It’s a long story. Suffice it to say that Dad’s plans were in place long before I even knew about them.”
Sam was regarding Gabriel with a puzzled frown. “So when Dad called you a Trickster....”
“That was how he knew me first,” Gabriel nodded. “I’ve been undercover a long time. John’s fun to mess with anyway, but once Dad filled me in on what was up with you two... well, let’s just say Jim Murphy and Bobby Singer weren’t the only ones keeping John away from Cazadore all those years.”
“And by ‘Dad’, you mean....”
“Our Father Who art still in Heaven, contrary to what you might hear.”
Dean shook his head in disbelief. “My friend and mentor is the archangel Gabriel?!”
Gabriel pointed at him. “And that fact does not leave this house.”
Tricia spoke up for the first time. “Papa John will want to know.”
“He’s still under house arrest, and the phone isn’t safe. Besides, it took ten years for him to come to terms with the way you kids are now. You tell him angels are real, you’ll send him into another tailspin.”
“We can go to him,” Dean noted.
Gabriel shook his head. “Not right now, you can’t. That,” he pointed to the door, “is a ward I need to use as little as possible-no other angels can get in right now. And the only other being in the universe that can overhear us is Dad.”
All four Winchesters frowned in unison. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Like I said, we have a problem.” Gabriel walked into the living room and motioned for the others to follow.
The Winchesters sat on the couch, Sam settling Tricia on his lap and Dean keeping a protective arm around Daphne’s shoulders. Gabriel sat in the recliner; Castiel remained standing between the chair and the couch.
Sensing how tense the others were, Gabriel sighed. “Relax, kids. I’m still me. There are just certain things I’m not hiding from you now.”
“Like why the angel I saw when Azazel attacked me spoke with your voice?” Sam ventured. “When we were doing the demon blood cure, I mean.”
Gabriel blinked. “Didn’t know you could see me then.”
Dean frowned. “You sound remarkably okay with this, Sam.”
Sam looked over at him. “Dean, we’ve always known we could trust him. This doesn’t change anything, just... fills in some blanks.”
“And I’m about to fill in a bunch more of ’em,” Gabriel said-and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly everyone in the room was holding an ice-cold Dublin Dr Pepper.
Sam immediately got up and headed for the ice cream. He’d never really adjusted to the taste. Watching Gabriel drink with relish, Castiel took a tentative sip of his soda and looked pleasantly surprised.
Sam returned with the float glasses and ice cream. “Floats, anyone?”
Tricia immediately nodded. So did Daphne and Castiel. Dean, on the other hand, kept watching Gabriel warily and sipping straight from the can.
Once Sam had seen to the floats, he settled on the couch once more and looked expectantly at Gabriel.
Gabriel sighed and leaned forward. “Sam, you’ve known for a long time that Azazel had... unusual plans for you.”
Sam nodded slowly. “That’s.... That’s why he infected me.”
“That’s right. But he wasn’t working alone. And you’re not the only one his allies need.”
“Keep talkin’,” Dean said.
“Azazel’s ultimate goal was to jump-start the Apocalypse. But to do that, he needed to do more than corrupt Sam.” Gabriel paused, looking hard at Dean. “Lucifer’s cage can be opened if sixty-six seals are broken. And the first seal is that a righteous man will shed blood in Hell.”
“So?” Dean asked.
“How do you think a righteous man ends up in Hell in the first place?”
Dean shook his head, then something lit in his eyes and he nodded. “He’d go there to save someone he loved.”
“You think the Boy King of Hell would be considered righteous enough by all the powers involved?”
Sam actually snorted. “If I’m the Boy King of Hell, I’m not righteous at all.”
“That is a big if,” Gabriel returned with a small smile. “Dean, on the other hand....”
“WHAT?” all four roared.
“The idea was that Dean, being the self-sacrificing protector that he is, would be the easiest target. Kill Sam, Dean sells his soul to bring him back, goes to Hell to face the Enemy’s torture master, and breaks the first seal. After that, they get Sammy hooked on demon blood, obsessed with avenging Dean’s death, and all set to break the final seal by killing Lilith.”
The Winchester brothers’ faces were identical masks of naked rage. Dean’s hand crushed the can. “Did Dad know about this?”
“I don’t think so. If he had, you can bet he’d have been just as busy protecting you as he was protecting Sam-or trying to, anyway.”
Dean took a deep breath and nodded. “That... that actually makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad-but I’m afraid it gets worse.”
“How?” Dean got up and moved to sit beside Sam.
“Azazel wasn’t just preparing to start the Apocalypse with you two. You are unique among your generation in that you’re each capable of playing host to a specific archangel.”
“What?” they yelped in unison.
Gabriel nodded. “Dean is the vessel of Michael, and Sam... boy, I really hate to say this....”
“I take it it ain’t you?” Sam quipped.
Suddenly Tricia crossed herself, breathing a quiet curse in Spanish. She had remembered the old legends.
Dean looked at her. “Sis?”
“Diablo,” she breathed, looking huge-eyed at Sam. “Lucifer.”
The brothers cursed in unison.
Gabriel sighed. “And you’re not out of danger yet. Any of you.”
“Any of us?” Daphne finally found her voice. “What....What do you mean?”
“Like I said, Azazel wasn’t working alone. In fact, he didn’t even have the complete picture. Lilith does, but she’s not topside yet. But there’s another being who’s been involved from the jump... and he’s here in Cazadore.”
“Adler,” Dean growled.
“That’s his vessel’s last name. But Daphne’s right. He’s not a demon.”
“What is he?” Sam asked, though he was afraid he already knew the answer.
Gabriel looked grim. “He’s a seraph-fallen, though he doesn’t know it yet.”
“Wait, he’s an angel?” Daphne yelped.
“Yep.” Gabriel popped the p.
Dean slumped finally, head falling into his cupped hands.
“And when I say ‘from the jump,’ I mean that. I’m not sure exactly how far back it goes, but I do know that he knew in 1972 that Azazel had gotten orders from Lucifer regarding the ‘special child.’ And he made very sure that Azazel made your mother an offer she couldn’t refuse.”
“WHAT?” the brothers yelped again.
Gabriel sighed sadly. “May 2, 1973. Azazel killed your Grandma and Grandpa Campbell and your dad and made a deal with your mom. He’d return John to life and let Mary leave hunting if she gave him permission to enter her home in ten years’ time. He wouldn’t tell her why. And he didn’t tell her that the permission was good for a full year.”
Sam went ash-white. “Mom... sold me?”
Dean’s reaction was explosive. He jerked to his feet and slammed his crushed can against the opposite wall, pacing raggedly.
“She didn’t know what she was selling,” Gabriel replied gently. “But she was so set on being ‘normal’ that she ignored the signs of Azazel’s presence that night until she realized that the man in your nursery wasn’t John. I think she would have killed him then if she’d been able to protect you that way.”
“She ...” Dean spun, tears filling his eyes. “She would have killed for us?”
Not Sammy. Us.
“Of course. She was a hunter, and she was your mother.”
They froze, staring at him. “... Mom... was a hunter?” Dean asked in a near whisper.
“Both our parents... were hunters?” Sam gasped.
“We’re wasting time,” Castiel grumbled.
“It’s our time to waste,” Dean growled at him.
“Hey,” Gabriel said, jumping between them. “Both of you, settle. Yes, boys, the Campbells are a very old hunting family, and they did your dad a major disservice by refusing to help him after Mary died. Unfortunately, most of ’em didn’t live to regret it. But Castiel does have a point; we need to save the rest of your family history lesson for another time. Zachariah has finally managed to find you... and he’s decided to adopt Azazel’s tactics to make sure you play the parts that ‘destiny’ has chosen for you.”
Sam’s eyes widened as his head slowly turned to face Tricia. He blanched even more as the nightmare he’d had for weeks upon weeks before their wedding spooled its way through his mind again.
Daphne’s face darkened as she clenched her fists. “We’re not that easy to kill, are we, Trish?”
“Nope,” Tricia slowly smiled, but her eyes were cold. “We’re Texan women - and now we’re Winchesters. Double hard to kill.”
“And damned near impossible to intimidate,” Daphne finished.
Dean put his arm around Daphne’s shoulders again. “I would send you two to stay with Ellen, but I know you wouldn’t go.”
Daphne snorted. “Ya think?”
“See,” Gabriel said, “the whole plan hinged on you being a blind follower of whatever your father said and you,” with a pointed look at Sam, “kicking at the goads and throwing everything away in rebellion to your father. Then, when your guard was down, Azazel would kill someone you loved and send you on a blind quest for revenge that would ultimately end up with Dean in Hell, where he would break the first seal, and you duped and addicted to drinking demon blood to enhance your powers and tricked into killing Lilith and breaking the final seal, releasing Lucifer, who would then trick you into saying yes to being his vessel and making Dean so blind with grief he would say yes to being Michael’s vessel and you would re-enact Cain and Abel and Michael would kill Lucifer and the earth would be remade into an angelic paradise.”
The four blinked - stunned both by the information dump and by the fact that he had said that in one breath.
“You have been monitored since you were born,” Castiel put in. “Angels have been watching over you, Dean, molding you. Azazel had demons stationed to mold Sam. Everywhere you stayed, there was at least one demon possessing an important person in your life.”
Both brothers looked ready to kill something. Both their wives looked not too far behind. At least, they’d hold the weapons.
“So...” Daphne said slowly. “I take it things went... a little sideways.”
“You might say that,” Gabriel chuckled.
When? Dean signed, too emotional to speak.
“A week after your sixteenth birthday, Dean.”
Sam’s head snapped to stare at Dean, huge-eyed. “But... that was the day we....”
Gabriel nodded. “That was the day when you were supposed to have given up and spoken to your father, gotten so angry you yelled. There would have been a big fight, but ultimately you would have stayed. Sam would have felt betrayed, like you chose your father over him, and his anger would have festered until he left for California to go to school, severing all ties.”
Both brothers’ eyes were huge now. But that not....
“No, Dean,” Gabriel smiled. “That’s not how it happened. Because you changed everything.”
“You chose me,” Sam whispered and Dean’s hand curled over the back of his neck.
“He’s right,” Gabriel smiled larger. “You chose him. You chose to protect and raise him, to give him the normal he always wanted but still uphold your father’s wishes by becoming hunters - your way. And that threw everything off-guard.”
“But,” Castiel put in. “Things were still on the track the machinations had set forth. Just slightly delayed. Until these two young ladies irrevocably altered everything.”
Tricia and Daphne looked at each other, then at their husbands, then at the angels. “Okay,” Daphne said with a deep frown. “You’re going to have to explain that one.”
“Wait,” Sam said, sudden understanding in his eyes. “You said that there have been demons everywhere in my life. Inside people that meant important things to me.”
The angels nodded together.
He turned to look at Dean. “Josh.”
“Exactly,” Gabriel said, pointing at Sam. “Josh was possessed by one of them. And most people would have been rattled and would have dismissed his sudden change. Would have written it off as he’s 13. But you,” he turned to the girls. “You kept your heads. You noticed things. You reported them. And you altered not only their destiny - but a whole town’s.”
“Because you weren’t afraid,” Castiel finished.
Dean smiled at his bride. Don’t think she’s ever been afraid.
“Agreed,” Tricia nodded. “It’s like she’s born without fear or something.”
“I get afraid,” Daphne said. “But I’m also too damned stubborn to show it.”
Gabriel looked grim. “We’re going to need that stubbornness, Daphne. Zachariah will stop at nothing to make sure the Apocalypse goes off on his schedule rather than Dad’s. Somehow he’s concluded that Dad’s disappeared and forgotten to end the world.”
Daphne snorted at that. “God’s disappeared. Right.”
“Not bloody likely,” Tricia agreed in her best Cockney accent.
Sam laughed and hugged her tight. Dean’s arms draped around Daphne from behind and he kissed the top of her head.
“So,” Dean said aloud, “how do we gank this freak?”
Gabriel and Castiel looked at him, visibly stunned by the question.
“What? He’s a fallen angel. Means he’s evil. Means we take him out.”
Gabriel suddenly started laughing. “Damn! I knew I liked you for a reason.”
“Well, Dean did already threaten to kill him if he came near us again,” Daphne noted. “But that was when we thought he might be Mafia.”
“So, I repeat - how do we gank him?” Dean asked.
“We do have the Colt,” Sam suggested. “Does that work on angels?”
Gabriel nodded. “Yes.”
“But,” Castiel pointed out. “Angels can jam it remotely.”
“Still got that sleeve rig,” Dean countered. “That fast enough to fire without him jammin’ it?”
“No,” Castiel said, but then he frowned. “... I don’t know.”
Daphne shrugged. “We could try it as long as we have a Plan B.”
“Can we trap Zachariah somehow?” Tricia asked. “Might make things a little easier.”
Gabriel looked at Castiel, who nodded and then... just was suddenly not there any more.
Dean frowned. “Where’d he go?”
“To get something to trap Zach.”
A second later there was a single knock at the door, and Gabriel looked embarrassed. “He’s locked out. Sorry.” He hurried to the door and opened it for Castiel, who was carrying a large earthenware jug.
Tricia’s head tilted as she examined it. “Sammy? Can we-”
“Once this is over,” he said. “You thinking carnations?”
“Strawberries.”
“Even better.”
Daphne let out a sigh and dropped her forehead into her palm. Dean just looked proud. Castiel shot a confused look at a highly amused Gabriel, who shook his head minutely.
“I’m missing something here,” Gabriel laughed.
“Never mind,” the Winchesters chorused.
Sam cleared his throat. “So, uh, Castiel, whatcha got there?”
“Holy oil. From Jerusalem.”
“What does that do?”
“Set it on fire and no angel can cross it. No matter how powerful.”
Dean’s eyes lit up at the word ‘fire’.
“Down, boy,” said Daphne without turning around.
Party pooper, he finger-spelled around her stomach.
She chuckled. Pyro.
“Just one thing,” Sam said. “Will killing him stop this once and for all?”
Gabriel and Castiel exchanged a look. “There’s still Lilith,” Castiel noted.
“Can we kill her?” Dean asked. “Don’t you need her alive for the real, actual Apocalypse to start?”
“It’s kind of a moot point,” Gabriel replied, “considering that she’s still pretty well locked up in Hell. She won’t be able to get topside until a certain Devil’s Gate in Wyoming is opened. The other potential problem is Uriel, who’s turned traitor, but once Zach’s dead, I don’t know that he’ll want to try anything on his own.”
“Better safe than sorry, though,” Sam said. “Let’s take care of Zach first.”
“Right.” Gabriel looked at Castiel and jerked his head toward Sam.
Sam frowned. “What?”
Castiel handed the jug of holy oil to Tricia. Then he straightened his right arm, and a silver short sword slid out of his sleeve. This he presented to Sam.
Sam took its hilt and lifted it - shivering. “It’s... singing.”
“It recognizes you as an archangelic vessel,” Castiel replied. “Should the Colt fail, only the sword of another angel will be able to kill Zachariah.”
Sam reached it out to Dean, who took it. He examined it, shivered, and handed it back to Sam. “Blades are your thing, dude.”
Sam smiled and twirled it, before seemingly making it vanish into thin air. Tricia let out a surprised squawk then laughed.
“How’d you do that?” Daphne demanded.
Dean suddenly grinned. “Never mind that, sweetheart. I think I’ve got a plan.”
“Lay it on us,” Sam said.
Tricia whispered for Sam’s ears only, “How many sheaths are you wearing today?”
“Five,” he whispered back.
She chuckled and turned her attention to Dean, who had found a legal pad and pen and sat down on the couch to draw a diagram of his idea.
John was hard at work at Mercer’s Garage, trading good-natured barbs with Leo, when a balding man in a dark suit walked in. John immediately sensed that something was wrong, but after an exchange of looks, it was Leo who went to talk to the guy.
“I need to speak to John Winchester,” he said immediately.
“For what reason?” Leo asked.
“I have an... issue... that he can resolve for me.”
“Automotive issue?”
“Not... exactly.”
“’Fraid that’s all he’s authorized to deal with during working hours, Mr. ....”
“Adler. Zachariah Adler. And it is imperative I speak with him now.”
At the sound of raised voices, Mercer came out of the office. And John suddenly gained a new appreciation of how much the people of Cazadore had run interference for his boys while they were growing up.
“Is there a problem here, Leo?” Mercer asked, standing in such a way that Adler would have to turn his back to John in order to speak to him.
Which is exactly what he did. “I must speak to John Winchester. Now.”
John promptly sprinted to the convenience store next door. He was technically breaking house arrest, he knew, but doing so would alert the police that something supernatural was wrong at the garage.
Sure enough, Frank was there and he took one look at John and knew. “What is it?” he asked, going over to him.
“Bogey in a suit. Zachariah Adler. Askin’ for me, but I’ve never seen him before.”
Frank pulled out his radio. “All equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage on the double. Repeat, all equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage!”
At the Winchesters’, the police scanner erupted to life. “All equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage on the double!”
Dean’s hands swore as he stood.
Castiel frowned. “Equipped personnel?”
“Code,” Gabriel said, standing. “Means there’s something supernatural going on.”
“Zachariah,” the four humans chorused.
“Dad,” Sam ground out.
“You four stay put,” Gabriel replied. “Castiel, stay with ’em. I don’t think Zach’ll try anything in front of witnesses, but I’d better go find out what he wants with John.”
Castiel nodded.
“Now, wait a-” Dean began, but Gabriel vanished before he could continue his objection.
“Dean,” said Castiel. “It is possible that Zachariah wants to draw you out by alarming your father. We are better off remaining here until Gabriel learns more.”
“Dad’s unarmed,” Dean whispered, stunned. “He works unarmed at Mercer’s... that’s one of the conditions of his employ.”
“He had to do something to get Frank’s attention,” Sam replied. “And you know Leo and Mercer will stall as long as humanly possible to try to give backup time to arrive.”
Zachariah had had enough. He muted the annoying little lion and froze him before he picked Mercer up one-handed by the throat. “Where. Is. Winchester?”
“Well, well, well,” said a voice behind him. “What have we here?”
Still holding Mercer close, Zachariah turned. “Well, well, well... a pagan god come to challenge me.”
Loki tsked, and suddenly both Mercer and Leo were on the floor, out cold.
“You didn’t kill them outright? Why?”
“I’ll ask the questions here, lion-breath. What do you want with Winchester?”
“That’s Heaven’s business, pagan. Not your earth-based magic.”
“Really! Didn’t your last run-in with Kali teach you anything?”
“Oh, please!” Zach laughed. “Like I bow to a so-called ‘goddess’....”
Loki’s eyes narrowed, and Zachariah gasped as the old wound to his grace flared painfully. “Like a goddess could never use your own sword against you.”
“You.... You know nothing, Loki.”
“I know you’re a traitor, Zachariah. And if Kali and I know, the whole pantheon knows. It’s not that easy to start an apocalypse if the rest of the world won’t play ball.”
“I am NOT a traitor! I am the only one left loyal - besides Uriel!”
Loki crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
“That’s so!” Then Zachariah cried out as Loki somehow caused the old wound to flare up even more. It had never fully healed, but never had anything caused it to hurt like this.
“Funny,” Loki said casually, “I’ve never heard an angel make that noise before.”
“What... are you doing? How.... How are you doing this?”
Loki motioned with the first two fingers of his right hand, and Zachariah felt himself go mute. “I said I’ll ask the questions, birdbrain. But I do have one thing to tell you, and I’ll say it only once. Leave. The Winchesters. Alone.”
Zachariah’s eyes narrowed in defiance.
“One thing I know about Dean: he makes good on his threats. You touch any member of that family, and he will kill you. And if you try to kill him first?” Loki’s smirk turned dangerous. “You’ll have to come through me.”
Zachariah smirked, relishing the thought of killing a pagan god.
“Run, run, as fast as you can; you can’t catch me....” Loki caused the pain to spike once more. “I’m the gingerbread man.”
Zachariah attacked, forcing pressure around Loki. But Loki casually snapped his fingers... and suddenly Zachariah was in Tokyo.
It was only the work of a few minutes to get back to the outskirts of Cazadore - to find the place ringed with wards and holy fire. Again.
Zachariah snarled and fell back a few miles to consider his options.
Loki turned to look over his shoulder. “I know you’re there, John.”
John swallowed hard and left his hiding place just outside the garage doors. “So. Loki, is it?”
Loki turned to face him full-on and John saw him clearly. He chuckled. “Now you know which Trickster I am.”
“That... Zachariah. You called him an angel.”
“A fallen one - but yes.”
“That mean there are unfallen ones?”
Loki smiled warmly. “Yes, indeed.”
John stepped closer. “What does he want with my boys?”
Loki’s smile went away. “He wants to finish what Azazel started. We won’t let him, John. You, me, Cazadore - we will not let it happen.”
John nodded slowly. “What do I need to do?”
Loki looked down, then back up at him. “For one thing - I’m still Cooper. That’s not changed. Okay?”
“Understood.”
“And for another -” He smirked. “How good are you with a blade?”
By the time Zachariah finally managed to get back into Cazadore a week later, he’d lost all trace of the Winchesters, father, sons, and wives. Annoyed, he stomped into Maggie’s Diner to order a cup of coffee-not that he needed it, but his vessel’s memories seemed to suggest that it was an appropriately human thing to do.
“Cream or sugar?” the waitress said, making a strange C sign across her body.
“Ah, cream, please.”
She nodded and left, returning moments later with a steaming mug of dark liquid and a small bowl full of little containers of cream. “Anything else, sir?”
“Yes... could you tell me where I might find Sam Winchester?”
“That’s not in my job description, sir.”
“I could... make it worth your while.” And he set a $100 bill on the table.
She raised an eyebrow. “I am a waitress, sir. Not a prostitute.” And she turned on her heel and walked away.
Zachariah blinked-he hadn’t expected that reaction. He was suddenly reminded of the attitude Jacob Adler had displayed after he’d accepted possession and realized that Zachariah’s agenda didn’t fit the stereotypical notion of angelic benevolence. Zachariah had done him the favor of evicting him. But it wouldn’t do to smite the waitress-Garnet, her nametag had read-not when he might still be able to persuade her to contact Sam for him.
Speaking of angels, where had that brat Castiel wandered off to? He was supposed to have been in Cazadore watching and molding Dean. But the little twerp was as hidden as the rest of the family. Zachariah had been counting on his loyalty. All the members of his garrison had been loyal, Castiel more than most. Now, suddenly, the brat was gone?
And what the hell was Loki doing here?!
The bitter taste of the coffee seemed the perfect counterpoint to his bitter mood. But he had to wonder what was going on when he poured cream into his cup and the song on the radio suddenly caught his attention:
I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee,
Clouds in my coffee, and
You’re so vain,
You prob’ly think this song is about you....
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Garnet was on the phone. “Yeah, mid-fifties, kind of German-looking,” she was saying.
“Keep him there. Evacuate the diner, including you once we get there.”
“You sure this’ll work, Sam?”
“It’s our best shot, Garnet.”
“Okay. I’ll do what I can. How soon can you get here?”
“Ten.”
“Right. We’ll hold the fort.” Garnet hung up and drifted back out.
She smoothly got the Turners out the door. Judge Suarez wanted to chat, but she caught his eye and, turning her body and pulling her hands close, pulled out her pendant and tapped it twice. Supernatural happening, not a good time. He nodded and left a big tip as she tucked her pendant back away.
The only person left was Amy Sorensen-and then “Tijuana Taxi” came on the radio, so Garnet was able to disguise her Time to go sign as a dance to the song that Amy couldn’t hear.
Amy noticed the guy and signed Trouble? as she stood up. W trouble?
Garnet smiled broadly and nodded slightly as she kept jamming.
Amy nodded and got up, snapping her fingers to the beat Garnet was signing out as she walked out.
Garnet grinned at Zachariah. “She loves that song.”
Zachariah raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you do, too.”
She shrugged.
“Well, would you mind not dancing? It’s against my religion.”
“You must have a very sorry religion. Mine happens to encourage dancing as a means of praise.”
“Dancing in the Spirit and dancing to secular music are very different things.”
“Why should the Devil have all the good music, huh?”
He happened to be seated at a table directly under a speaker, and as the song ended just then, the final “HONK” was loud enough to make him jump. And then Ocean’s “Put Your Hand in the Hand” came on.
Garnet laughed. “See?” She gathered up the dishes and sang all the way to the kitchen. “Time to go, Jim.”
Jim nodded. “You gonna be okay until the boys get here?”
“Should be here any second.”
“Okay. I’ll head to the PD. Call if you need backup.”
“Will do. Thanks, buddy.” She kissed his cheek.
He slipped out the back door, and Garnet went back to the counter just in time to see Sam ride up on his motorcycle.
She walked over to Zachariah. “Can I get you anything else, sir?”
“No, thank you. But would you do me the favor of informing Mr. Winchester that I’m looking for him?”
“Which one, sir?” she asked as the bell rang to indicate someone walking in where she could see them but Zachariah couldn’t. He thought nothing of her nod of acknowledgment.
“Well, any of them, really, but I’d particularly like to speak to Sam.”
“Go ahead,” Sam said.
Zachariah was so surprised, he scarcely noticed Garnet hurrying out of the room. He stood and walked up to Sam, hand extended. “Sam Winchester! How delighted I am to finally meet you. Adler’s my name, Zachariah Adler.”
Sam shook his hand but made no move to sit down. “You’ve been trying to get to me. I want to know why.”
“There’s something I need from you, Sam. A favor. And I would repay you most generously. If you’d like to sit down, I can give you my proposal.”
Sam laughed and pushed past Zachariah, forcing him to turn his back to the kitchen. “Mr. Adler, what makes you think that I can do anything for you? I’m a high school history teacher.” He tilted his head slightly. “And you can give me your proposal standing up as easily as sitting down. I’ve just ridden in and I need to stand to get the kinks out of my knees.” He gestured at his legs. “Curse of being over 6'2", you understand.”
“Well, I can’t say I do, but if you insist. You’re not just a history teacher, Sam-and don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’re a hunter... and one with a very unique lineage.”
“I’m a hunter, sure. It’s a hobby.”
“I need for you to make it a full-time job.”
“I have a full-time job. I’m a teacher.”
“Sam, you don’t understand. Hell is trying to start the Apocalypse. My garrison is charged with making sure it doesn’t happen. But even we are finite. We need all the help we can get.”
“Your... garrison.” Sam huffed incredulously and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Right. You mind if I smoke?” he added, pulling out a lighter and lighting it.
“Sam Winchester smokes?” Zachariah blinked.
Sam shrugged. “Only when my wife can’t catch me.”
His cell phone rang suddenly, and he jumped, dropping the lighter-and holy fire flared in a circle that hadn’t been there two seconds ago.
Zachariah recoiled, gasping, hands flying to cover his face in an action of pure startle.
“Hi, honey,” Sam said into the phone, sounding flustered. “Can I call you back? Kinda got a situation here. Thanks.”
And from the kitchen a shot rang out.
Zachariah screamed as the bullet pierced his vessel’s heart and wounded his grace, but he wasn’t sure whether or not it was fatal. And then... and then Castiel and John Winchester were standing beside Sam, and both humans had angel swords and were crossing the holy fire like it wasn’t even there....
Castiel spoke. “Do you repent of this evil path you have begun, Zachariah?”
“Repent?!” Zachariah tried to laugh as he produced his own sword, but the laugh came out as a wheezing cough. “You need to repent, you little maggot!”
“Why?”
“You betrayed me... disobeyed my orders....”
“You betrayed Heaven! You’re fallen, Zachariah!”
“I’ll show you fallen,” Zachariah snarled and lunged at John.
John lunged out of the way and sliced at him, but missed, catching his jacket.
Zachariah barely managed to keep from stumbling into the holy fire. His grace was already bleeding out; he couldn’t risk getting burned as well.
“Tell me why!” Castiel begged. “Tell me why you joined with Azazel to put this plan into motion!”
“Yours is not to reason why!” Zachariah shouted and attacked John again.
Only to find his blade blocked - by Sam’s.
Sam pushed Zachariah back, nearly forcing him into the fire. The fight that followed had both John and Castiel staring slack-jawed. They’d heard again and again that Sam was good with blades.
But now they had vivid proof of just how good he was.
He was fighting a seraph to a standstill.
And the exertion was taking its toll on Zachariah. He couldn’t heal the burning wound to his grace-the bullet must have been poisoned somehow-and the more he fought, the more grace and blood poured out of the hole.
Sam suddenly caught his wrist - and there was the incredible strength and speed that was the legacy of the demon blood. It was a complete shock to Zachariah.
“Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damned Dane,” Sam snarled. “Follow my mother!” And he rammed the sword clean through Zachariah’s grace. Then Sam got in close and hissed into his face, though everyone could hear. “I am NOBODY’S vessel! I am NOBODY’S Boy King! I am SAM WINCHESTER-” He twisted the sword and pushed upward. “And I am FREE!”
Light started building in the room.
“Cover your eyes!” Castiel cried.
Sam jerked the sword out and flung himself out of the holy fire, arms flying up over his eyes.
In the kitchen, everybody hunkered, protecting each other’s eyes.
John turned away - but kept one eye partially open, thinking he was guarding his boys.
Then Zachariah screamed one last time... and blinding light shot out of his wounds, his eyes, and his mouth.
And Castiel’s hand slammed over John’s half-exposed eye.
John clawed at Castiel’s wrist, but the cherub wouldn’t budge. “It would blind you,” he hissed in John’s ear.
He stilled. “Sammy... Sammy’s eyes....”
“He’s fine,” Loki whispered in his other ear. “I’ve got him.”
“Dean....”
“Is safe under cover,” Castiel assured him.
Suddenly there was a huge noise like a sonic boom.
John’s ears were still ringing when Castiel released him. Sam was unfolding from Loki’s hold. The ring of fire had gone out, and Adler lay sprawled on his back... with the outline of giant wings scorched across the floor, tables, and walls, and a few blackened bits of down floating through the air.
And Dean was standing up from behind the counter, the Colt still in his right hand and a police radio in his left. “2Y5, Cazadore. Everything’s Code 4.”
John frowned at the strange words.
“10-4, 2Y5,” the dispatcher replied. “All available units, we have received an Attempt to Locate. Zachariah Adler, Adam-David-Leon...”
“Code 4, Dad,” Sam nodded. “Everything’s okay.”
“2Y5? What’s that?” John asked.
Dean chuckled. “Our call sign. KAZ 2Y5. The old plates from the Impala.”
“Your call sign?” John’s head was spinning again. “You’re police, too?”
“Not officially,” the boys chorused.
Sam took the radio when the dispatcher finished giving the description. “2Y5, Cazadore - Adler is on scene, DOA.”
“10-4, 2Y5. 201, 203, 503, Unit 1, need you en route to Maggie’s Diner.”
“Two marked units, Judge Suarez, and an ambulance,” Loki explained.
“How do they explain....” John shivered.
“We’ll think of something,” the others-including the girls, who’d come out of the kitchen-all said at the same time.
And they did. They explained that Adler had been the victim of a stabbing and had stumbled into the diner to die.
“Think that’ll fly, Judge?” asked Frank, who’d been the first officer on the scene.
“Those are stab wounds.” The judge sighed. “I’m not a coroner, but it’ll fly by me.”
Frank nodded. “Fair enough. We’ll take it from here, folks. Y’all are free to go.”
“I’ll take you home, Dad,” Dean said.
John nodded, a little numb still. “Thanks, son. And Sam... good job.”
Sam’s eyes widened and then he broke into a huge smile. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Just one question, though-what was that ‘incestuous Dane’ bit?”
Sam laughed. “Last act of Hamlet.”
John raised an eyebrow. “I can see I’m going to have to catch up on my reading to keep up with you boys.”
Everyone laughed at that, and the Winchesters and their two helpers filed outside.
“So this is it, right?” Daphne asked. “It’s really over?”
“The danger is,” Loki said. “But there’s one thing left undone.”
“What’s that?” the five humans all asked at the same time.
Loki turned to John. “I’ll explain at your house. All of you, come on.”
Daphne, Dean, John, Loki, and Castiel piled into the Impala, while Sam and Tricia jumped on Sam’s motorcycle and followed the car to John’s house.
Once inside, John punched in the key code on his phone that alerted the authorities he was home where he should be. Then he sighed. “Loki, if this plan of yours requires leaving town, you’ll have to count me out. I think I’ve skirted the house arrest a little too much for this month.”
“It requires nothing more than you listening right now.”
John nodded. “Fair enough.”
They sat down, and Loki got right to the point. “There’s one thing that has always been missing. Always.”
Mom, Dean signed.
Loki nodded.
John swallowed hard. “She’s... she’s gone. Nothing can change that.”
Loki nodded again. “Yes. And no.”
“What do you mean?”
“She is trapped in Lawrence - unable to move on.”
“Trapped?!” the men cried, jumping to their feet.
Loki and Castiel nodded sadly.
“What do we do?” Dean demanded. “How do we help her?”
“I can help her,” Loki said. “And you at the same time. You all need the same thing - to be able to say a proper goodbye.”
“You can do that?” John whispered. “You... you would do that? For us?”
Loki smiled. “Yes. I would.”
“What’s the catch?”
“What, I can’t do anything out of the kindness of my heart? You wound me, John.”
“Oh, come on. You’re a god. You’re a Trickster. You wouldn’t do something like that without expecting something in return. I know your kind.”
Loki chuckled. “Don’t be so sure, John. I’ve been here a long time and I’m close to your boys. This is something you all need, and something I can provide.”
“It’s not a trick, Dad,” Sam said quietly. “We can trust him on this one.”
“I just regret I can’t bring her back to life,” Loki continued sadly. “But what’s dead needs to stay there.”
The boys exchanged a look at that... one John didn’t care to try to interpret.
Loki’s smile then turned wicked. “However, if you insist on there being a catch?”
John raised an eyebrow at that. “What?”
“I do have this ’66 GTO that needs restored....”
John laughed heartily. “I don’t suppose you want it painted cherry red?”
“It already is. Factory defect, too - two back seats.”
John laughed harder. “I suppose I could sacrifice some time to work on that for you....”
Dean shook his head. “Dude, where did you get a Monkeemobile?!”
“You’d be amazed the connections I have. So. John, would you like to go first? I think you need it the most.”
John sobered and nodded. “Do I need to break a salt line for you to get her in?”
“I’m afraid so.”
John sighed. “Guess it’ll be safe enough for now.”
“I shall stand guard,” Castiel said before he left the house.
Loki nodded. “You need privacy. Where can I deliver her to?”
John pointed. “Bedroom.”
Loki nodded again. “Go now. I’ll summon her.”
John went into the bedroom and waited.
In the living room, Gabriel closed his eyes while Dean scuffed the salt line apart. Suddenly there was a whoosh of air and a bolt of fire shot through the door and across the room.
John’s bedroom door blew open and the bolt of fire soared inside, hovering in front of him. John recoiled out of sheer startle reflex.
Loki appeared in the doorway. “It’s okay, John. It’s her form now. You’re safe here, and yes, it really is him. You can relax.” Then he left.
The fireball took on a vaguely humanoid shape. It seemed to be sizing John up.
John blinked at it. “... Mary?”
There was a whoosh of air and the fire vanished - and there she stood.
His Mary.
John couldn’t hold back the tears. “Mary....”
“It is you,” she whispered. “My John.”
“I’m so sorry, Mary... I got so lost without you, and... the boys....”
“I never wanted this for you,” she whispered. “I never wanted you to.... I am so sorry... this is all my fault....”
“Mary... what are you talking about?”
“It was a deal,” she choked out and burst into tears of flame as she told the story.
John’s heart broke as he listened, but when she finished, he whispered, “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same for you. Or the boys.”
“But this is all my fault.”
“Shh. You couldn’t know. Hell, I get the feeling the kids know more than both of us put together. But Yellow Eyes did this to you, and it looks like somebody else put him up to it. And the boys killed ’em both. It’s over now.”
Her eyes widened. “Over? They... they’re dead? It’s all over?”
“Far as we can tell.”
She sniffled. “I just want to rest, John... but I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know, baby. I don’t want you to go, either-I’ve missed you so much. But I know I have to let you rest. Just... wait to say goodbye to the kids?”
She nodded and stepped forward. “John.” Her arms wrapped around him and her head rested on his chest. Despite the slight sting of her fiery tears, she felt warm. Alive.
John broke down and wept. “I love you so damn much, Mary. I’ll miss you every day for the rest of my life.”
“I love you, too. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him. I wanted to stay with you.”
“I’m sorry I let you down. Sorry I couldn’t save you. Sorry I treated the boys like soldiers instead of sons.”
She pulled back at that and stared at him. “It’s not too late, is it? You can still have your sons?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t deserve it, but... they took me back. They’re here. We’re good.”
She kissed him.
He kissed her back. Then he sniffled. “Uh. Guess... guess I’d better let them come in.”
“I’ll see you again,” she whispered.
“I’ll always love you.”
“I’ll always love you, too.”
“Goodbye, Mary.”
She smiled. “Until then, John.”
He gave her one last hug and forced himself to walk away. He managed to make it as far as the living room before he broke down again. Daphne wordlessly pressed a handful of Kleenex into his hand.
Gabriel looked over at Dean and nodded. “Your turn.”
Dean nodded, then took one step. He stopped and held out his hand. Daphne stepped around John and took Dean’s hand, squeezed it, and walked with him to the bedroom.
Mary turned to face him. Her eyes went huge. “... Deanie?”
Dean swallowed hard and managed a small smile. “Hi, Mom.”
She stepped forward. “So BIG....”
He ducked his head shyly, then looked at Mary again. “Mom, this is Daphne, my wife.”
“Wife,” she breathed, cupping Daphne’s cheek. “Oh, Deanie. I approve.”
Daphne blushed and smiled. “Hi, Mom.”
She laid her fingertips on Daphne’s stomach. “Hello, there,” she cooed softly.
Dean and Daphne looked at each other in shock. “Mom?” they chorused.
“She’s beautiful.” She kissed Daphne’s cheek and then Dean’s. She pulled back, frowning deeply. “... oh, Dean,” she whispered raggedly.
Dean frowned in confusion. “What is it, Mom?”
“I did this to you.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “I ruined your voice. You used to adore words, they’d flow out of you like water... and they all went away. And they still stay away most of the time.”
I still speak, Mom, Dean signed, not trusting his voice. This my choice, not your fault.
“He’s a teacher, Mom,” Daphne added out loud. “That’s how we met; I took his first Sign Language class when we were both in high school. He’s really good, too.”
Her eyes followed his hands. “You... choose... to do this? This isn’t... because you HAVE to?”
Dean chuckled wryly. “Well, I do now. It’s my job. But it’s a job I chose, and it’s a job I love. Teaching’s awesome.”
Mary kissed his forehead. “My beautiful boy. I love you forever.”
A single tear rolled down Dean’s cheek. I miss you always. I love you.
“You will see me again.” She stepped back after hugging them both. “One more...”
They both sniffled and nodded. Goodbye, Mom.
She stepped back and waited as they left the room.
Sam met Dean’s eyes as he and Daphne walked back into the living room, and Dean gave him a nod. Sam put his arm around Tricia’s waist, and they went together to the bedroom. Daphne, meanwhile, turned and pulled Dean into a hug, and Dean silently let his tears fall, as did she.
She right, Daphne finally signed into his chest. We not grieve like those with no hope.
He kissed the top of her head and held her close. After a moment, though, his hand drifted around to rub her stomach lightly. Baby girl, he finger-spelled and gave Daphne a small but very happy smile when she looked up at him.
Her eyes shone. When we tell Dad?
Not now. Tomorrow, maybe, if he sober.
She nodded once and nestled against his chest once more.
Sam didn’t have any clear memories of his mother, unlike John and Dean. So he didn’t really know what to expect when he walked into John’s bedroom. He had only seen his mother in photographs. But the woman standing in the middle of the room with twin trails of fire sliding down her cheeks was unmistakably the woman in them.
“Sammy?” she whispered.
“Mom,” he breathed. “Mom, you are so beautiful....”
“I am so sorry.” She was sobbing now. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know.... I didn’t know, Sammy....”
Tears started pouring down Sam’s cheeks as well. “It’s okay, Mom. Gabriel explained. I forgive you. And... and it’s okay now. I’m cured. And we got Azazel and the fallen angel who set you up. It’s over.”
“My boy. My grown-up boy.” She surged forward and he suddenly had his mother in his arms.
“Mom,” he sobbed. “Oh, Mom....”
“I want to stay... but I have to rest,” she sobbed. “It’s not fair.”
“I know. We want you to stay, too, but... Gabriel said....”
She pulled back and looked at him.
“I know we have to let you go,” he whispered, cupping her cheek in his hand.
She nodded, turning to Tricia and raising an eyebrow.
Sam sniffled and cleared his throat. “Uh. Mom, this is my wife, Tricia.”
“Hola, Mama Mary,” Tricia whispered.
She smiled and nodded at Tricia. “Hola, mi hija.”
“Tricia’s the manager at one of the motels here in town,” Sam said. “And I teach history at the high school-this is my fourth year now.”
She frowned slightly. “Dean said he teaches at the high school....”
Sam nodded. “He does. ASL. And so does Gabriel-I mean, we didn’t know who he was until last week, but... he’s kind of mentored both of us the whole time we’ve been here.”
“You are blessed.”
“We are, Mom. We really are.”
“Forgive me?”
“Oh, Mom.” Sam pulled her close once more. “Of course I do.”
“I love you, both of you. You have his heart... I love you too.”
Tricia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both her husband and the shade of her mother-in-law. “I love you, too, Mama Mary.”
She stepped back then and pushed at his shoulder. “Go.... Go get your father and brother.”
He nodded. Yes, ma’am. Then he hurried out of the room.
She caught Tricia’s hand and held it. “Name her Mary,” she whispered. “When you give my Sammy a daughter, name her for me.”
“I will, Mama,” she whispered back. “Prometo.”
The men and Daphne came back in and she cupped Dean’s cheek. “Do not name your child after my first name. I insist upon this.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, Mom. If that’s what you want.”
“It is. I want one other thing now.”
“Name it.”
“Surround me. All five of you.”
Dean held out his hands; Daphne took his left, John his right. Tricia went around behind Mary to join hands with Daphne, and Sam stood between Tricia and John.
She kissed each of them, then kissed John on the lips. She stepped back, her fire-teared eyes on John’s. “I love you.”
“Oh, Mary,” John choked out.
“We will be together again.” She reached out and touched John’s chest.
“How?”
“Believe.” And she began to fade. “I love you.”
“We love you, too, Mom,” the kids chorused.
“Mary,” John whispered brokenly.
“I love you, John. My Johnny. Believe.” And she was gone.
John’s chest burned. His shirt was smoldering. Dean whipped off his overshirt and batted at the smoke. John panted and ripped his shirt open to see what was burning so.
Mary had seared an exact copy of his children’s tattoo into his chest.
Overwhelmed, John fell to his knees and wept. One by one, he felt the kids kneel beside him, surrounding him with their love.
He wasn’t entirely certain who he was leaning against when he dozed off, emotionally exhausted. But from the effortless way he was lifted - his last conscious thought - he was pretty sure it was Sammy.
Brothers and wives filed out of the bedroom, and Sam closed the door behind him. Then, without a word, he stalked over to Gabriel and pulled him into a bear hug.
Gabriel blinked in surprise, but returned the hug, awkwardly patting his back. “Uh...?”
“Thank you,” Sam whispered. “Thank you for everything.”
“It’s okay, Sammy.”
“Hey,” said Dean at his shoulder. “Rest of us want a turn, Sasquatch.”
Sam laughed and backed off.
Dean looked Gabriel in the eye. “I do not damn well care if you go by Bill Cooper or Loki or anything else. You’ve been an angel to us, even though I’m guessin’ you didn’t have to. And for that I thank you.”
Gabriel tilted his head in a nod/bow.
Dean pulled Gabriel into a hug and thumped his back as if he were family. Gabriel returned it, ruffling Dean’s hair like he always did. Tricia went next, followed by Daphne.
“I love you all, you know that,” Gabriel muttered.
“Of course we do,” Daphne returned. “If it hadn’t been clear before, the fact that you came that night when Azazel attacked Sam was proof enough.”
“So,” Sam sighed. “Where do we go from here?”
“Home,” Tricia replied, slipping her hand into his. “There’s one last thing I promised Mama Mary I’d do... and the sooner we start, the better.”
Sam frowned in confusion at her. “... all right....”
Then she smiled that smile at him, and his eyes went wide as he caught her drift.
“We’ll... ah... s-see y’all tomorrow,” he said, hurrying her out to the motorcycle.
That my boy, Dean signed, grinning.
Gabriel and Daphne laughed, and Daphne pulled Dean close and kissed him.
Dean returned it warmly. Then he looked up at Gabriel. Cooper, it really all over?
Gabriel nodded. “If Uriel shows, Castiel will take care of him. Don’t worry-” Then he grinned. “... Dad.”
Dean’s cheeks kissed pink and he turned to Daphne, drawing his hands in to ‘whisper’. Nobody left to tell but Sam and Dad.
And Melinda and Lily, and the librarians, and the Robichauxs and Pastor Tim....
“Oh, you can leave the rest of town to me,” Gabriel interrupted cheerfully. “I’m a horrible gossip when I want to be.” He winked.
Dean burst out laughing.
Gabriel laughed as well. “Go on, lovebirds. Get outta here.”
Dean went serious. You stay with Dad?
“Of course. You don’t think I’m going to Sam’s house, do you?”
Dean hugged him again and then he and Daphne left.
John appeared at the top of the stairs not five minutes later.
Gabriel turned. “Hey, John.”
“You’re still here.” He sounded shocked. “The kids?”
“Gone home. Promised I’d stick around, make sure you didn’t fall down the stairs or anything.”
“I won’t fall down the-” John started down the stairs as he talked and his foot slipped about halfway down. “... well, shit.”
Gabriel laughed and snapped his fingers, and John suddenly found himself safely on the couch.
“How do I know you didn’t make me trip in the first place?” But there was no heat in it.
Gabriel snorted. “Please. I let you fall, I don’t get my car fixed.”
John smiled briefly at him, then looked away. His eyes were full of agony.
“John. You’ll see her again. Sooner than you think-and no,” he added when John looked back at him in alarm, “I don’t mean you’re going to die.”
“Then what do you mean?”
He smirked. “You’ll see.”
Later that evening, Kali looked down at the ball of flame nestled in one of her palms. “Such second chances are rare,” she whispered. “Use the time well.”
Then she turned her hand over and pressed it down on a sleeping Tricia’s abdomen.
Summary: John Winchester was once told that what was coming after his boys would eventually break into Cazadore, but that his boys would be ready. It's broken in -- are they ready?
Closing the Circle
by San Antonio Rose and Enola Jones
September 20, 2008
It was a bright Saturday morning in Cazadore, Texas, when a balding, white-haired man in a business suit walked up to a certain door and knocked. The door was opened by a dark, petite woman who was holding her bathrobe closed higher than usual.
“Good morning, madam,” said the man with an ingratiating smile. “Might I speak to the man of the house?”
“I’m afraid my husband can’t come to the door,” she replied. “Might I inquire as to the nature of your business?”
“I’m empowered to speak only to him.”
“I am empowered to speak for my husband.”
He handed her his card. “Would you please just tell Mr. Winchester that Zachariah Adler would like a word?”
She took it in her left hand and looked at it while her right, curved in a C, first touched her left shoulder and crossed to touch her right hip. Adler blinked but did not otherwise react. She nodded once. “Wait here, please.”
Then she closed and locked the door.
Adler wasn’t a demon, Daphne Winchester reasoned as she climbed the stairs while studying the business card. She’d suspected as much from the fact that he was standing under the devil’s trap on the porch, and his non-reaction to her signing the name of Christ just confirmed it. But she didn’t like him, and she wasn’t at all sure he was human.
They kept an ashtray and lighter in the guest room, so Daphne rubbed a little salt on the card and started it burning in the ashtray before going into the bathroom, where Dean was in the shower.
“Honey, there’s a man at the door who wants to talk to you. Says his name’s Zachariah Adler.”
Dean grunted.
“Do you know him?”
“Nope. You shower yet?”
“No.”
Dean’s hand reached out from behind the shower curtain and untied her bathrobe.
“Honey, he’s on the doorstep.”
“Let him wait.”
Shaking her head in amusement, she shrugged out of her bathrobe and got into the shower.
Fifteen minutes later, the door opened again to reveal a tall, well-built young man with green eyes and dark blond hair and a general air of insolence, clad only in blue jeans and a bronze amulet and holding a sawed-off shotgun. He and his wife, who had reappeared at his side in pajama pants and a tank top, apparently had matching tattoos over their hearts.
“Yeah?” said the husband, lounging against the door jamb.
“Dean Winchester?”
“Yeah.”
“Zachariah Adler. I’m an acquaintance of your father’s.” Adler held out his hand, but Dean didn’t take it. Flustered, Adler cleared his throat and continued, “I represent a certain group of businessmen. We understand your father has something of interest to us in his storage facility in New York, and we were hoping that you and your brother could either locate him for us or retrieve the item for us yourselves.”
“My dad doesn’t do business with the Mafia.”
Adler chuckled. “No, Dean, you’ve got the wrong idea. We are... like hunters, but dealing with evil on a... slightly higher plane. But there could be disastrous consequences for your family if we’re not able to retrieve this item soon.”
“Get off my land.”
Adler’s smile turned strained. “I’m sorry?”
“You don’t get off my porch before I count ten, you will be. And if you come near my family again, I will kill you.”
“Dean-”
Dean racked the shotgun. “One.”
Adler raised his hands in surrender and backed away.
Dean’s cell phone rang when Adler reached the street. “Yeah, Sammy,” Dean answered.
“Who was that?”
Dean glanced at Daphne for a moment. “Calls himself Zachariah Adler.”
She nodded.
“Never heard-Dean.”
Dean glanced back out the door. Adler had disappeared.
Dean cursed. “Where’d he go?”
“He didn’t. He just vanished.”
“You and Trish better get over here now.”
“Right.” Sam hung up.
There was a tunnel that connected their basements. It had taken them the better part of 18 months to build, ward, shield and bless.
That was how Sam and Tricia ran to their brother’s house.
Dean and Daphne had just filled them in when another knock sounded at the door-shave-and-a-haircut, followed by the doorbell. Bill Cooper’s signature.
Still, Dean checked before he opened the door.
“Hey, Dean,” Cooper nodded as he slid inside. “Sam, girls.”
Cooper, Sam signed.
“We’ve got a problem, gang. But I think I need to wait to explain it to you until my brother gets here.”
Daphne blinked. “We’re finally going to meet this mystery brother of yours?”
“Yep. And he should be arriving right about... now.”
There was a single knock on the door.
“There he is.” Cooper turned and opened the door, and a slightly taller, much thinner man with dark hair slipped inside. Then Cooper locked the door, sliced open his wrist with a penknife, and swiftly drew two sigils on the door with his blood. Sighing, he turned back to the others. “Winchesters all, this is my brother Castiel.”
“Holy shit!” Dean yelped aloud, passing the gun to Daphne and racing forward, grabbing Cooper’s arm. “What the hell! Sammy, get the first aid kit!”
“No need for that, Dean.” And as Dean watched, the cut... disappeared.
Dean’s eyes grew huge. He stepped back, signing the name of Christ frantically.
Castiel tilted his head in confusion. “He is not a demon.”
“You sound like Dean,” Daphne gasped.
Cooper snorted. “They say owners start to look like their pets-guess guardians start to sound like their charges.”
“Wait... guardian....” Sam’s eyes were huge.
Castiel nodded sagely. “Yes, Sam. I am an angel of the Lord, and I have been assigned to guard you and Dean for many years.”
“Hold on!” Dean cried. “You said he’s your brother!”
“Yeah, about that,” Cooper replied. “Ever notice that my professional name is G. William Cooper?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Name’s Gabriel.”
He could see the instant it hit Dean. He stepped backward as if struck.
“Castiel and I were both assigned to guard you against Azazel... and his allies.”
Daphne frowned. “But you’ve lived here....”
“Longer than they have, I know. It’s a long story. Suffice it to say that Dad’s plans were in place long before I even knew about them.”
Sam was regarding Gabriel with a puzzled frown. “So when Dad called you a Trickster....”
“That was how he knew me first,” Gabriel nodded. “I’ve been undercover a long time. John’s fun to mess with anyway, but once Dad filled me in on what was up with you two... well, let’s just say Jim Murphy and Bobby Singer weren’t the only ones keeping John away from Cazadore all those years.”
“And by ‘Dad’, you mean....”
“Our Father Who art still in Heaven, contrary to what you might hear.”
Dean shook his head in disbelief. “My friend and mentor is the archangel Gabriel?!”
Gabriel pointed at him. “And that fact does not leave this house.”
Tricia spoke up for the first time. “Papa John will want to know.”
“He’s still under house arrest, and the phone isn’t safe. Besides, it took ten years for him to come to terms with the way you kids are now. You tell him angels are real, you’ll send him into another tailspin.”
“We can go to him,” Dean noted.
Gabriel shook his head. “Not right now, you can’t. That,” he pointed to the door, “is a ward I need to use as little as possible-no other angels can get in right now. And the only other being in the universe that can overhear us is Dad.”
All four Winchesters frowned in unison. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Like I said, we have a problem.” Gabriel walked into the living room and motioned for the others to follow.
The Winchesters sat on the couch, Sam settling Tricia on his lap and Dean keeping a protective arm around Daphne’s shoulders. Gabriel sat in the recliner; Castiel remained standing between the chair and the couch.
Sensing how tense the others were, Gabriel sighed. “Relax, kids. I’m still me. There are just certain things I’m not hiding from you now.”
“Like why the angel I saw when Azazel attacked me spoke with your voice?” Sam ventured. “When we were doing the demon blood cure, I mean.”
Gabriel blinked. “Didn’t know you could see me then.”
Dean frowned. “You sound remarkably okay with this, Sam.”
Sam looked over at him. “Dean, we’ve always known we could trust him. This doesn’t change anything, just... fills in some blanks.”
“And I’m about to fill in a bunch more of ’em,” Gabriel said-and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly everyone in the room was holding an ice-cold Dublin Dr Pepper.
Sam immediately got up and headed for the ice cream. He’d never really adjusted to the taste. Watching Gabriel drink with relish, Castiel took a tentative sip of his soda and looked pleasantly surprised.
Sam returned with the float glasses and ice cream. “Floats, anyone?”
Tricia immediately nodded. So did Daphne and Castiel. Dean, on the other hand, kept watching Gabriel warily and sipping straight from the can.
Once Sam had seen to the floats, he settled on the couch once more and looked expectantly at Gabriel.
Gabriel sighed and leaned forward. “Sam, you’ve known for a long time that Azazel had... unusual plans for you.”
Sam nodded slowly. “That’s.... That’s why he infected me.”
“That’s right. But he wasn’t working alone. And you’re not the only one his allies need.”
“Keep talkin’,” Dean said.
“Azazel’s ultimate goal was to jump-start the Apocalypse. But to do that, he needed to do more than corrupt Sam.” Gabriel paused, looking hard at Dean. “Lucifer’s cage can be opened if sixty-six seals are broken. And the first seal is that a righteous man will shed blood in Hell.”
“So?” Dean asked.
“How do you think a righteous man ends up in Hell in the first place?”
Dean shook his head, then something lit in his eyes and he nodded. “He’d go there to save someone he loved.”
“You think the Boy King of Hell would be considered righteous enough by all the powers involved?”
Sam actually snorted. “If I’m the Boy King of Hell, I’m not righteous at all.”
“That is a big if,” Gabriel returned with a small smile. “Dean, on the other hand....”
“WHAT?” all four roared.
“The idea was that Dean, being the self-sacrificing protector that he is, would be the easiest target. Kill Sam, Dean sells his soul to bring him back, goes to Hell to face the Enemy’s torture master, and breaks the first seal. After that, they get Sammy hooked on demon blood, obsessed with avenging Dean’s death, and all set to break the final seal by killing Lilith.”
The Winchester brothers’ faces were identical masks of naked rage. Dean’s hand crushed the can. “Did Dad know about this?”
“I don’t think so. If he had, you can bet he’d have been just as busy protecting you as he was protecting Sam-or trying to, anyway.”
Dean took a deep breath and nodded. “That... that actually makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad-but I’m afraid it gets worse.”
“How?” Dean got up and moved to sit beside Sam.
“Azazel wasn’t just preparing to start the Apocalypse with you two. You are unique among your generation in that you’re each capable of playing host to a specific archangel.”
“What?” they yelped in unison.
Gabriel nodded. “Dean is the vessel of Michael, and Sam... boy, I really hate to say this....”
“I take it it ain’t you?” Sam quipped.
Suddenly Tricia crossed herself, breathing a quiet curse in Spanish. She had remembered the old legends.
Dean looked at her. “Sis?”
“Diablo,” she breathed, looking huge-eyed at Sam. “Lucifer.”
The brothers cursed in unison.
Gabriel sighed. “And you’re not out of danger yet. Any of you.”
“Any of us?” Daphne finally found her voice. “What....What do you mean?”
“Like I said, Azazel wasn’t working alone. In fact, he didn’t even have the complete picture. Lilith does, but she’s not topside yet. But there’s another being who’s been involved from the jump... and he’s here in Cazadore.”
“Adler,” Dean growled.
“That’s his vessel’s last name. But Daphne’s right. He’s not a demon.”
“What is he?” Sam asked, though he was afraid he already knew the answer.
Gabriel looked grim. “He’s a seraph-fallen, though he doesn’t know it yet.”
“Wait, he’s an angel?” Daphne yelped.
“Yep.” Gabriel popped the p.
Dean slumped finally, head falling into his cupped hands.
“And when I say ‘from the jump,’ I mean that. I’m not sure exactly how far back it goes, but I do know that he knew in 1972 that Azazel had gotten orders from Lucifer regarding the ‘special child.’ And he made very sure that Azazel made your mother an offer she couldn’t refuse.”
“WHAT?” the brothers yelped again.
Gabriel sighed sadly. “May 2, 1973. Azazel killed your Grandma and Grandpa Campbell and your dad and made a deal with your mom. He’d return John to life and let Mary leave hunting if she gave him permission to enter her home in ten years’ time. He wouldn’t tell her why. And he didn’t tell her that the permission was good for a full year.”
Sam went ash-white. “Mom... sold me?”
Dean’s reaction was explosive. He jerked to his feet and slammed his crushed can against the opposite wall, pacing raggedly.
“She didn’t know what she was selling,” Gabriel replied gently. “But she was so set on being ‘normal’ that she ignored the signs of Azazel’s presence that night until she realized that the man in your nursery wasn’t John. I think she would have killed him then if she’d been able to protect you that way.”
“She ...” Dean spun, tears filling his eyes. “She would have killed for us?”
Not Sammy. Us.
“Of course. She was a hunter, and she was your mother.”
They froze, staring at him. “... Mom... was a hunter?” Dean asked in a near whisper.
“Both our parents... were hunters?” Sam gasped.
“We’re wasting time,” Castiel grumbled.
“It’s our time to waste,” Dean growled at him.
“Hey,” Gabriel said, jumping between them. “Both of you, settle. Yes, boys, the Campbells are a very old hunting family, and they did your dad a major disservice by refusing to help him after Mary died. Unfortunately, most of ’em didn’t live to regret it. But Castiel does have a point; we need to save the rest of your family history lesson for another time. Zachariah has finally managed to find you... and he’s decided to adopt Azazel’s tactics to make sure you play the parts that ‘destiny’ has chosen for you.”
Sam’s eyes widened as his head slowly turned to face Tricia. He blanched even more as the nightmare he’d had for weeks upon weeks before their wedding spooled its way through his mind again.
Daphne’s face darkened as she clenched her fists. “We’re not that easy to kill, are we, Trish?”
“Nope,” Tricia slowly smiled, but her eyes were cold. “We’re Texan women - and now we’re Winchesters. Double hard to kill.”
“And damned near impossible to intimidate,” Daphne finished.
Dean put his arm around Daphne’s shoulders again. “I would send you two to stay with Ellen, but I know you wouldn’t go.”
Daphne snorted. “Ya think?”
“See,” Gabriel said, “the whole plan hinged on you being a blind follower of whatever your father said and you,” with a pointed look at Sam, “kicking at the goads and throwing everything away in rebellion to your father. Then, when your guard was down, Azazel would kill someone you loved and send you on a blind quest for revenge that would ultimately end up with Dean in Hell, where he would break the first seal, and you duped and addicted to drinking demon blood to enhance your powers and tricked into killing Lilith and breaking the final seal, releasing Lucifer, who would then trick you into saying yes to being his vessel and making Dean so blind with grief he would say yes to being Michael’s vessel and you would re-enact Cain and Abel and Michael would kill Lucifer and the earth would be remade into an angelic paradise.”
The four blinked - stunned both by the information dump and by the fact that he had said that in one breath.
“You have been monitored since you were born,” Castiel put in. “Angels have been watching over you, Dean, molding you. Azazel had demons stationed to mold Sam. Everywhere you stayed, there was at least one demon possessing an important person in your life.”
Both brothers looked ready to kill something. Both their wives looked not too far behind. At least, they’d hold the weapons.
“So...” Daphne said slowly. “I take it things went... a little sideways.”
“You might say that,” Gabriel chuckled.
When? Dean signed, too emotional to speak.
“A week after your sixteenth birthday, Dean.”
Sam’s head snapped to stare at Dean, huge-eyed. “But... that was the day we....”
Gabriel nodded. “That was the day when you were supposed to have given up and spoken to your father, gotten so angry you yelled. There would have been a big fight, but ultimately you would have stayed. Sam would have felt betrayed, like you chose your father over him, and his anger would have festered until he left for California to go to school, severing all ties.”
Both brothers’ eyes were huge now. But that not....
“No, Dean,” Gabriel smiled. “That’s not how it happened. Because you changed everything.”
“You chose me,” Sam whispered and Dean’s hand curled over the back of his neck.
“He’s right,” Gabriel smiled larger. “You chose him. You chose to protect and raise him, to give him the normal he always wanted but still uphold your father’s wishes by becoming hunters - your way. And that threw everything off-guard.”
“But,” Castiel put in. “Things were still on the track the machinations had set forth. Just slightly delayed. Until these two young ladies irrevocably altered everything.”
Tricia and Daphne looked at each other, then at their husbands, then at the angels. “Okay,” Daphne said with a deep frown. “You’re going to have to explain that one.”
“Wait,” Sam said, sudden understanding in his eyes. “You said that there have been demons everywhere in my life. Inside people that meant important things to me.”
The angels nodded together.
He turned to look at Dean. “Josh.”
“Exactly,” Gabriel said, pointing at Sam. “Josh was possessed by one of them. And most people would have been rattled and would have dismissed his sudden change. Would have written it off as he’s 13. But you,” he turned to the girls. “You kept your heads. You noticed things. You reported them. And you altered not only their destiny - but a whole town’s.”
“Because you weren’t afraid,” Castiel finished.
Dean smiled at his bride. Don’t think she’s ever been afraid.
“Agreed,” Tricia nodded. “It’s like she’s born without fear or something.”
“I get afraid,” Daphne said. “But I’m also too damned stubborn to show it.”
Gabriel looked grim. “We’re going to need that stubbornness, Daphne. Zachariah will stop at nothing to make sure the Apocalypse goes off on his schedule rather than Dad’s. Somehow he’s concluded that Dad’s disappeared and forgotten to end the world.”
Daphne snorted at that. “God’s disappeared. Right.”
“Not bloody likely,” Tricia agreed in her best Cockney accent.
Sam laughed and hugged her tight. Dean’s arms draped around Daphne from behind and he kissed the top of her head.
“So,” Dean said aloud, “how do we gank this freak?”
Gabriel and Castiel looked at him, visibly stunned by the question.
“What? He’s a fallen angel. Means he’s evil. Means we take him out.”
Gabriel suddenly started laughing. “Damn! I knew I liked you for a reason.”
“Well, Dean did already threaten to kill him if he came near us again,” Daphne noted. “But that was when we thought he might be Mafia.”
“So, I repeat - how do we gank him?” Dean asked.
“We do have the Colt,” Sam suggested. “Does that work on angels?”
Gabriel nodded. “Yes.”
“But,” Castiel pointed out. “Angels can jam it remotely.”
“Still got that sleeve rig,” Dean countered. “That fast enough to fire without him jammin’ it?”
“No,” Castiel said, but then he frowned. “... I don’t know.”
Daphne shrugged. “We could try it as long as we have a Plan B.”
“Can we trap Zachariah somehow?” Tricia asked. “Might make things a little easier.”
Gabriel looked at Castiel, who nodded and then... just was suddenly not there any more.
Dean frowned. “Where’d he go?”
“To get something to trap Zach.”
A second later there was a single knock at the door, and Gabriel looked embarrassed. “He’s locked out. Sorry.” He hurried to the door and opened it for Castiel, who was carrying a large earthenware jug.
Tricia’s head tilted as she examined it. “Sammy? Can we-”
“Once this is over,” he said. “You thinking carnations?”
“Strawberries.”
“Even better.”
Daphne let out a sigh and dropped her forehead into her palm. Dean just looked proud. Castiel shot a confused look at a highly amused Gabriel, who shook his head minutely.
“I’m missing something here,” Gabriel laughed.
“Never mind,” the Winchesters chorused.
Sam cleared his throat. “So, uh, Castiel, whatcha got there?”
“Holy oil. From Jerusalem.”
“What does that do?”
“Set it on fire and no angel can cross it. No matter how powerful.”
Dean’s eyes lit up at the word ‘fire’.
“Down, boy,” said Daphne without turning around.
Party pooper, he finger-spelled around her stomach.
She chuckled. Pyro.
“Just one thing,” Sam said. “Will killing him stop this once and for all?”
Gabriel and Castiel exchanged a look. “There’s still Lilith,” Castiel noted.
“Can we kill her?” Dean asked. “Don’t you need her alive for the real, actual Apocalypse to start?”
“It’s kind of a moot point,” Gabriel replied, “considering that she’s still pretty well locked up in Hell. She won’t be able to get topside until a certain Devil’s Gate in Wyoming is opened. The other potential problem is Uriel, who’s turned traitor, but once Zach’s dead, I don’t know that he’ll want to try anything on his own.”
“Better safe than sorry, though,” Sam said. “Let’s take care of Zach first.”
“Right.” Gabriel looked at Castiel and jerked his head toward Sam.
Sam frowned. “What?”
Castiel handed the jug of holy oil to Tricia. Then he straightened his right arm, and a silver short sword slid out of his sleeve. This he presented to Sam.
Sam took its hilt and lifted it - shivering. “It’s... singing.”
“It recognizes you as an archangelic vessel,” Castiel replied. “Should the Colt fail, only the sword of another angel will be able to kill Zachariah.”
Sam reached it out to Dean, who took it. He examined it, shivered, and handed it back to Sam. “Blades are your thing, dude.”
Sam smiled and twirled it, before seemingly making it vanish into thin air. Tricia let out a surprised squawk then laughed.
“How’d you do that?” Daphne demanded.
Dean suddenly grinned. “Never mind that, sweetheart. I think I’ve got a plan.”
“Lay it on us,” Sam said.
Tricia whispered for Sam’s ears only, “How many sheaths are you wearing today?”
“Five,” he whispered back.
She chuckled and turned her attention to Dean, who had found a legal pad and pen and sat down on the couch to draw a diagram of his idea.
John was hard at work at Mercer’s Garage, trading good-natured barbs with Leo, when a balding man in a dark suit walked in. John immediately sensed that something was wrong, but after an exchange of looks, it was Leo who went to talk to the guy.
“I need to speak to John Winchester,” he said immediately.
“For what reason?” Leo asked.
“I have an... issue... that he can resolve for me.”
“Automotive issue?”
“Not... exactly.”
“’Fraid that’s all he’s authorized to deal with during working hours, Mr. ....”
“Adler. Zachariah Adler. And it is imperative I speak with him now.”
At the sound of raised voices, Mercer came out of the office. And John suddenly gained a new appreciation of how much the people of Cazadore had run interference for his boys while they were growing up.
“Is there a problem here, Leo?” Mercer asked, standing in such a way that Adler would have to turn his back to John in order to speak to him.
Which is exactly what he did. “I must speak to John Winchester. Now.”
John promptly sprinted to the convenience store next door. He was technically breaking house arrest, he knew, but doing so would alert the police that something supernatural was wrong at the garage.
Sure enough, Frank was there and he took one look at John and knew. “What is it?” he asked, going over to him.
“Bogey in a suit. Zachariah Adler. Askin’ for me, but I’ve never seen him before.”
Frank pulled out his radio. “All equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage on the double. Repeat, all equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage!”
At the Winchesters’, the police scanner erupted to life. “All equipped personnel to Mercer’s Garage on the double!”
Dean’s hands swore as he stood.
Castiel frowned. “Equipped personnel?”
“Code,” Gabriel said, standing. “Means there’s something supernatural going on.”
“Zachariah,” the four humans chorused.
“Dad,” Sam ground out.
“You four stay put,” Gabriel replied. “Castiel, stay with ’em. I don’t think Zach’ll try anything in front of witnesses, but I’d better go find out what he wants with John.”
Castiel nodded.
“Now, wait a-” Dean began, but Gabriel vanished before he could continue his objection.
“Dean,” said Castiel. “It is possible that Zachariah wants to draw you out by alarming your father. We are better off remaining here until Gabriel learns more.”
“Dad’s unarmed,” Dean whispered, stunned. “He works unarmed at Mercer’s... that’s one of the conditions of his employ.”
“He had to do something to get Frank’s attention,” Sam replied. “And you know Leo and Mercer will stall as long as humanly possible to try to give backup time to arrive.”
Zachariah had had enough. He muted the annoying little lion and froze him before he picked Mercer up one-handed by the throat. “Where. Is. Winchester?”
“Well, well, well,” said a voice behind him. “What have we here?”
Still holding Mercer close, Zachariah turned. “Well, well, well... a pagan god come to challenge me.”
Loki tsked, and suddenly both Mercer and Leo were on the floor, out cold.
“You didn’t kill them outright? Why?”
“I’ll ask the questions here, lion-breath. What do you want with Winchester?”
“That’s Heaven’s business, pagan. Not your earth-based magic.”
“Really! Didn’t your last run-in with Kali teach you anything?”
“Oh, please!” Zach laughed. “Like I bow to a so-called ‘goddess’....”
Loki’s eyes narrowed, and Zachariah gasped as the old wound to his grace flared painfully. “Like a goddess could never use your own sword against you.”
“You.... You know nothing, Loki.”
“I know you’re a traitor, Zachariah. And if Kali and I know, the whole pantheon knows. It’s not that easy to start an apocalypse if the rest of the world won’t play ball.”
“I am NOT a traitor! I am the only one left loyal - besides Uriel!”
Loki crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
“That’s so!” Then Zachariah cried out as Loki somehow caused the old wound to flare up even more. It had never fully healed, but never had anything caused it to hurt like this.
“Funny,” Loki said casually, “I’ve never heard an angel make that noise before.”
“What... are you doing? How.... How are you doing this?”
Loki motioned with the first two fingers of his right hand, and Zachariah felt himself go mute. “I said I’ll ask the questions, birdbrain. But I do have one thing to tell you, and I’ll say it only once. Leave. The Winchesters. Alone.”
Zachariah’s eyes narrowed in defiance.
“One thing I know about Dean: he makes good on his threats. You touch any member of that family, and he will kill you. And if you try to kill him first?” Loki’s smirk turned dangerous. “You’ll have to come through me.”
Zachariah smirked, relishing the thought of killing a pagan god.
“Run, run, as fast as you can; you can’t catch me....” Loki caused the pain to spike once more. “I’m the gingerbread man.”
Zachariah attacked, forcing pressure around Loki. But Loki casually snapped his fingers... and suddenly Zachariah was in Tokyo.
It was only the work of a few minutes to get back to the outskirts of Cazadore - to find the place ringed with wards and holy fire. Again.
Zachariah snarled and fell back a few miles to consider his options.
Loki turned to look over his shoulder. “I know you’re there, John.”
John swallowed hard and left his hiding place just outside the garage doors. “So. Loki, is it?”
Loki turned to face him full-on and John saw him clearly. He chuckled. “Now you know which Trickster I am.”
“That... Zachariah. You called him an angel.”
“A fallen one - but yes.”
“That mean there are unfallen ones?”
Loki smiled warmly. “Yes, indeed.”
John stepped closer. “What does he want with my boys?”
Loki’s smile went away. “He wants to finish what Azazel started. We won’t let him, John. You, me, Cazadore - we will not let it happen.”
John nodded slowly. “What do I need to do?”
Loki looked down, then back up at him. “For one thing - I’m still Cooper. That’s not changed. Okay?”
“Understood.”
“And for another -” He smirked. “How good are you with a blade?”
By the time Zachariah finally managed to get back into Cazadore a week later, he’d lost all trace of the Winchesters, father, sons, and wives. Annoyed, he stomped into Maggie’s Diner to order a cup of coffee-not that he needed it, but his vessel’s memories seemed to suggest that it was an appropriately human thing to do.
“Cream or sugar?” the waitress said, making a strange C sign across her body.
“Ah, cream, please.”
She nodded and left, returning moments later with a steaming mug of dark liquid and a small bowl full of little containers of cream. “Anything else, sir?”
“Yes... could you tell me where I might find Sam Winchester?”
“That’s not in my job description, sir.”
“I could... make it worth your while.” And he set a $100 bill on the table.
She raised an eyebrow. “I am a waitress, sir. Not a prostitute.” And she turned on her heel and walked away.
Zachariah blinked-he hadn’t expected that reaction. He was suddenly reminded of the attitude Jacob Adler had displayed after he’d accepted possession and realized that Zachariah’s agenda didn’t fit the stereotypical notion of angelic benevolence. Zachariah had done him the favor of evicting him. But it wouldn’t do to smite the waitress-Garnet, her nametag had read-not when he might still be able to persuade her to contact Sam for him.
Speaking of angels, where had that brat Castiel wandered off to? He was supposed to have been in Cazadore watching and molding Dean. But the little twerp was as hidden as the rest of the family. Zachariah had been counting on his loyalty. All the members of his garrison had been loyal, Castiel more than most. Now, suddenly, the brat was gone?
And what the hell was Loki doing here?!
The bitter taste of the coffee seemed the perfect counterpoint to his bitter mood. But he had to wonder what was going on when he poured cream into his cup and the song on the radio suddenly caught his attention:
I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee,
Clouds in my coffee, and
You’re so vain,
You prob’ly think this song is about you....
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Garnet was on the phone. “Yeah, mid-fifties, kind of German-looking,” she was saying.
“Keep him there. Evacuate the diner, including you once we get there.”
“You sure this’ll work, Sam?”
“It’s our best shot, Garnet.”
“Okay. I’ll do what I can. How soon can you get here?”
“Ten.”
“Right. We’ll hold the fort.” Garnet hung up and drifted back out.
She smoothly got the Turners out the door. Judge Suarez wanted to chat, but she caught his eye and, turning her body and pulling her hands close, pulled out her pendant and tapped it twice. Supernatural happening, not a good time. He nodded and left a big tip as she tucked her pendant back away.
The only person left was Amy Sorensen-and then “Tijuana Taxi” came on the radio, so Garnet was able to disguise her Time to go sign as a dance to the song that Amy couldn’t hear.
Amy noticed the guy and signed Trouble? as she stood up. W trouble?
Garnet smiled broadly and nodded slightly as she kept jamming.
Amy nodded and got up, snapping her fingers to the beat Garnet was signing out as she walked out.
Garnet grinned at Zachariah. “She loves that song.”
Zachariah raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you do, too.”
She shrugged.
“Well, would you mind not dancing? It’s against my religion.”
“You must have a very sorry religion. Mine happens to encourage dancing as a means of praise.”
“Dancing in the Spirit and dancing to secular music are very different things.”
“Why should the Devil have all the good music, huh?”
He happened to be seated at a table directly under a speaker, and as the song ended just then, the final “HONK” was loud enough to make him jump. And then Ocean’s “Put Your Hand in the Hand” came on.
Garnet laughed. “See?” She gathered up the dishes and sang all the way to the kitchen. “Time to go, Jim.”
Jim nodded. “You gonna be okay until the boys get here?”
“Should be here any second.”
“Okay. I’ll head to the PD. Call if you need backup.”
“Will do. Thanks, buddy.” She kissed his cheek.
He slipped out the back door, and Garnet went back to the counter just in time to see Sam ride up on his motorcycle.
She walked over to Zachariah. “Can I get you anything else, sir?”
“No, thank you. But would you do me the favor of informing Mr. Winchester that I’m looking for him?”
“Which one, sir?” she asked as the bell rang to indicate someone walking in where she could see them but Zachariah couldn’t. He thought nothing of her nod of acknowledgment.
“Well, any of them, really, but I’d particularly like to speak to Sam.”
“Go ahead,” Sam said.
Zachariah was so surprised, he scarcely noticed Garnet hurrying out of the room. He stood and walked up to Sam, hand extended. “Sam Winchester! How delighted I am to finally meet you. Adler’s my name, Zachariah Adler.”
Sam shook his hand but made no move to sit down. “You’ve been trying to get to me. I want to know why.”
“There’s something I need from you, Sam. A favor. And I would repay you most generously. If you’d like to sit down, I can give you my proposal.”
Sam laughed and pushed past Zachariah, forcing him to turn his back to the kitchen. “Mr. Adler, what makes you think that I can do anything for you? I’m a high school history teacher.” He tilted his head slightly. “And you can give me your proposal standing up as easily as sitting down. I’ve just ridden in and I need to stand to get the kinks out of my knees.” He gestured at his legs. “Curse of being over 6'2", you understand.”
“Well, I can’t say I do, but if you insist. You’re not just a history teacher, Sam-and don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’re a hunter... and one with a very unique lineage.”
“I’m a hunter, sure. It’s a hobby.”
“I need for you to make it a full-time job.”
“I have a full-time job. I’m a teacher.”
“Sam, you don’t understand. Hell is trying to start the Apocalypse. My garrison is charged with making sure it doesn’t happen. But even we are finite. We need all the help we can get.”
“Your... garrison.” Sam huffed incredulously and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Right. You mind if I smoke?” he added, pulling out a lighter and lighting it.
“Sam Winchester smokes?” Zachariah blinked.
Sam shrugged. “Only when my wife can’t catch me.”
His cell phone rang suddenly, and he jumped, dropping the lighter-and holy fire flared in a circle that hadn’t been there two seconds ago.
Zachariah recoiled, gasping, hands flying to cover his face in an action of pure startle.
“Hi, honey,” Sam said into the phone, sounding flustered. “Can I call you back? Kinda got a situation here. Thanks.”
And from the kitchen a shot rang out.
Zachariah screamed as the bullet pierced his vessel’s heart and wounded his grace, but he wasn’t sure whether or not it was fatal. And then... and then Castiel and John Winchester were standing beside Sam, and both humans had angel swords and were crossing the holy fire like it wasn’t even there....
Castiel spoke. “Do you repent of this evil path you have begun, Zachariah?”
“Repent?!” Zachariah tried to laugh as he produced his own sword, but the laugh came out as a wheezing cough. “You need to repent, you little maggot!”
“Why?”
“You betrayed me... disobeyed my orders....”
“You betrayed Heaven! You’re fallen, Zachariah!”
“I’ll show you fallen,” Zachariah snarled and lunged at John.
John lunged out of the way and sliced at him, but missed, catching his jacket.
Zachariah barely managed to keep from stumbling into the holy fire. His grace was already bleeding out; he couldn’t risk getting burned as well.
“Tell me why!” Castiel begged. “Tell me why you joined with Azazel to put this plan into motion!”
“Yours is not to reason why!” Zachariah shouted and attacked John again.
Only to find his blade blocked - by Sam’s.
Sam pushed Zachariah back, nearly forcing him into the fire. The fight that followed had both John and Castiel staring slack-jawed. They’d heard again and again that Sam was good with blades.
But now they had vivid proof of just how good he was.
He was fighting a seraph to a standstill.
And the exertion was taking its toll on Zachariah. He couldn’t heal the burning wound to his grace-the bullet must have been poisoned somehow-and the more he fought, the more grace and blood poured out of the hole.
Sam suddenly caught his wrist - and there was the incredible strength and speed that was the legacy of the demon blood. It was a complete shock to Zachariah.
“Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damned Dane,” Sam snarled. “Follow my mother!” And he rammed the sword clean through Zachariah’s grace. Then Sam got in close and hissed into his face, though everyone could hear. “I am NOBODY’S vessel! I am NOBODY’S Boy King! I am SAM WINCHESTER-” He twisted the sword and pushed upward. “And I am FREE!”
Light started building in the room.
“Cover your eyes!” Castiel cried.
Sam jerked the sword out and flung himself out of the holy fire, arms flying up over his eyes.
In the kitchen, everybody hunkered, protecting each other’s eyes.
John turned away - but kept one eye partially open, thinking he was guarding his boys.
Then Zachariah screamed one last time... and blinding light shot out of his wounds, his eyes, and his mouth.
And Castiel’s hand slammed over John’s half-exposed eye.
John clawed at Castiel’s wrist, but the cherub wouldn’t budge. “It would blind you,” he hissed in John’s ear.
He stilled. “Sammy... Sammy’s eyes....”
“He’s fine,” Loki whispered in his other ear. “I’ve got him.”
“Dean....”
“Is safe under cover,” Castiel assured him.
Suddenly there was a huge noise like a sonic boom.
John’s ears were still ringing when Castiel released him. Sam was unfolding from Loki’s hold. The ring of fire had gone out, and Adler lay sprawled on his back... with the outline of giant wings scorched across the floor, tables, and walls, and a few blackened bits of down floating through the air.
And Dean was standing up from behind the counter, the Colt still in his right hand and a police radio in his left. “2Y5, Cazadore. Everything’s Code 4.”
John frowned at the strange words.
“10-4, 2Y5,” the dispatcher replied. “All available units, we have received an Attempt to Locate. Zachariah Adler, Adam-David-Leon...”
“Code 4, Dad,” Sam nodded. “Everything’s okay.”
“2Y5? What’s that?” John asked.
Dean chuckled. “Our call sign. KAZ 2Y5. The old plates from the Impala.”
“Your call sign?” John’s head was spinning again. “You’re police, too?”
“Not officially,” the boys chorused.
Sam took the radio when the dispatcher finished giving the description. “2Y5, Cazadore - Adler is on scene, DOA.”
“10-4, 2Y5. 201, 203, 503, Unit 1, need you en route to Maggie’s Diner.”
“Two marked units, Judge Suarez, and an ambulance,” Loki explained.
“How do they explain....” John shivered.
“We’ll think of something,” the others-including the girls, who’d come out of the kitchen-all said at the same time.
And they did. They explained that Adler had been the victim of a stabbing and had stumbled into the diner to die.
“Think that’ll fly, Judge?” asked Frank, who’d been the first officer on the scene.
“Those are stab wounds.” The judge sighed. “I’m not a coroner, but it’ll fly by me.”
Frank nodded. “Fair enough. We’ll take it from here, folks. Y’all are free to go.”
“I’ll take you home, Dad,” Dean said.
John nodded, a little numb still. “Thanks, son. And Sam... good job.”
Sam’s eyes widened and then he broke into a huge smile. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Just one question, though-what was that ‘incestuous Dane’ bit?”
Sam laughed. “Last act of Hamlet.”
John raised an eyebrow. “I can see I’m going to have to catch up on my reading to keep up with you boys.”
Everyone laughed at that, and the Winchesters and their two helpers filed outside.
“So this is it, right?” Daphne asked. “It’s really over?”
“The danger is,” Loki said. “But there’s one thing left undone.”
“What’s that?” the five humans all asked at the same time.
Loki turned to John. “I’ll explain at your house. All of you, come on.”
Daphne, Dean, John, Loki, and Castiel piled into the Impala, while Sam and Tricia jumped on Sam’s motorcycle and followed the car to John’s house.
Once inside, John punched in the key code on his phone that alerted the authorities he was home where he should be. Then he sighed. “Loki, if this plan of yours requires leaving town, you’ll have to count me out. I think I’ve skirted the house arrest a little too much for this month.”
“It requires nothing more than you listening right now.”
John nodded. “Fair enough.”
They sat down, and Loki got right to the point. “There’s one thing that has always been missing. Always.”
Mom, Dean signed.
Loki nodded.
John swallowed hard. “She’s... she’s gone. Nothing can change that.”
Loki nodded again. “Yes. And no.”
“What do you mean?”
“She is trapped in Lawrence - unable to move on.”
“Trapped?!” the men cried, jumping to their feet.
Loki and Castiel nodded sadly.
“What do we do?” Dean demanded. “How do we help her?”
“I can help her,” Loki said. “And you at the same time. You all need the same thing - to be able to say a proper goodbye.”
“You can do that?” John whispered. “You... you would do that? For us?”
Loki smiled. “Yes. I would.”
“What’s the catch?”
“What, I can’t do anything out of the kindness of my heart? You wound me, John.”
“Oh, come on. You’re a god. You’re a Trickster. You wouldn’t do something like that without expecting something in return. I know your kind.”
Loki chuckled. “Don’t be so sure, John. I’ve been here a long time and I’m close to your boys. This is something you all need, and something I can provide.”
“It’s not a trick, Dad,” Sam said quietly. “We can trust him on this one.”
“I just regret I can’t bring her back to life,” Loki continued sadly. “But what’s dead needs to stay there.”
The boys exchanged a look at that... one John didn’t care to try to interpret.
Loki’s smile then turned wicked. “However, if you insist on there being a catch?”
John raised an eyebrow at that. “What?”
“I do have this ’66 GTO that needs restored....”
John laughed heartily. “I don’t suppose you want it painted cherry red?”
“It already is. Factory defect, too - two back seats.”
John laughed harder. “I suppose I could sacrifice some time to work on that for you....”
Dean shook his head. “Dude, where did you get a Monkeemobile?!”
“You’d be amazed the connections I have. So. John, would you like to go first? I think you need it the most.”
John sobered and nodded. “Do I need to break a salt line for you to get her in?”
“I’m afraid so.”
John sighed. “Guess it’ll be safe enough for now.”
“I shall stand guard,” Castiel said before he left the house.
Loki nodded. “You need privacy. Where can I deliver her to?”
John pointed. “Bedroom.”
Loki nodded again. “Go now. I’ll summon her.”
John went into the bedroom and waited.
In the living room, Gabriel closed his eyes while Dean scuffed the salt line apart. Suddenly there was a whoosh of air and a bolt of fire shot through the door and across the room.
John’s bedroom door blew open and the bolt of fire soared inside, hovering in front of him. John recoiled out of sheer startle reflex.
Loki appeared in the doorway. “It’s okay, John. It’s her form now. You’re safe here, and yes, it really is him. You can relax.” Then he left.
The fireball took on a vaguely humanoid shape. It seemed to be sizing John up.
John blinked at it. “... Mary?”
There was a whoosh of air and the fire vanished - and there she stood.
His Mary.
John couldn’t hold back the tears. “Mary....”
“It is you,” she whispered. “My John.”
“I’m so sorry, Mary... I got so lost without you, and... the boys....”
“I never wanted this for you,” she whispered. “I never wanted you to.... I am so sorry... this is all my fault....”
“Mary... what are you talking about?”
“It was a deal,” she choked out and burst into tears of flame as she told the story.
John’s heart broke as he listened, but when she finished, he whispered, “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same for you. Or the boys.”
“But this is all my fault.”
“Shh. You couldn’t know. Hell, I get the feeling the kids know more than both of us put together. But Yellow Eyes did this to you, and it looks like somebody else put him up to it. And the boys killed ’em both. It’s over now.”
Her eyes widened. “Over? They... they’re dead? It’s all over?”
“Far as we can tell.”
She sniffled. “I just want to rest, John... but I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know, baby. I don’t want you to go, either-I’ve missed you so much. But I know I have to let you rest. Just... wait to say goodbye to the kids?”
She nodded and stepped forward. “John.” Her arms wrapped around him and her head rested on his chest. Despite the slight sting of her fiery tears, she felt warm. Alive.
John broke down and wept. “I love you so damn much, Mary. I’ll miss you every day for the rest of my life.”
“I love you, too. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him. I wanted to stay with you.”
“I’m sorry I let you down. Sorry I couldn’t save you. Sorry I treated the boys like soldiers instead of sons.”
She pulled back at that and stared at him. “It’s not too late, is it? You can still have your sons?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t deserve it, but... they took me back. They’re here. We’re good.”
She kissed him.
He kissed her back. Then he sniffled. “Uh. Guess... guess I’d better let them come in.”
“I’ll see you again,” she whispered.
“I’ll always love you.”
“I’ll always love you, too.”
“Goodbye, Mary.”
She smiled. “Until then, John.”
He gave her one last hug and forced himself to walk away. He managed to make it as far as the living room before he broke down again. Daphne wordlessly pressed a handful of Kleenex into his hand.
Gabriel looked over at Dean and nodded. “Your turn.”
Dean nodded, then took one step. He stopped and held out his hand. Daphne stepped around John and took Dean’s hand, squeezed it, and walked with him to the bedroom.
Mary turned to face him. Her eyes went huge. “... Deanie?”
Dean swallowed hard and managed a small smile. “Hi, Mom.”
She stepped forward. “So BIG....”
He ducked his head shyly, then looked at Mary again. “Mom, this is Daphne, my wife.”
“Wife,” she breathed, cupping Daphne’s cheek. “Oh, Deanie. I approve.”
Daphne blushed and smiled. “Hi, Mom.”
She laid her fingertips on Daphne’s stomach. “Hello, there,” she cooed softly.
Dean and Daphne looked at each other in shock. “Mom?” they chorused.
“She’s beautiful.” She kissed Daphne’s cheek and then Dean’s. She pulled back, frowning deeply. “... oh, Dean,” she whispered raggedly.
Dean frowned in confusion. “What is it, Mom?”
“I did this to you.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “I ruined your voice. You used to adore words, they’d flow out of you like water... and they all went away. And they still stay away most of the time.”
I still speak, Mom, Dean signed, not trusting his voice. This my choice, not your fault.
“He’s a teacher, Mom,” Daphne added out loud. “That’s how we met; I took his first Sign Language class when we were both in high school. He’s really good, too.”
Her eyes followed his hands. “You... choose... to do this? This isn’t... because you HAVE to?”
Dean chuckled wryly. “Well, I do now. It’s my job. But it’s a job I chose, and it’s a job I love. Teaching’s awesome.”
Mary kissed his forehead. “My beautiful boy. I love you forever.”
A single tear rolled down Dean’s cheek. I miss you always. I love you.
“You will see me again.” She stepped back after hugging them both. “One more...”
They both sniffled and nodded. Goodbye, Mom.
She stepped back and waited as they left the room.
Sam met Dean’s eyes as he and Daphne walked back into the living room, and Dean gave him a nod. Sam put his arm around Tricia’s waist, and they went together to the bedroom. Daphne, meanwhile, turned and pulled Dean into a hug, and Dean silently let his tears fall, as did she.
She right, Daphne finally signed into his chest. We not grieve like those with no hope.
He kissed the top of her head and held her close. After a moment, though, his hand drifted around to rub her stomach lightly. Baby girl, he finger-spelled and gave Daphne a small but very happy smile when she looked up at him.
Her eyes shone. When we tell Dad?
Not now. Tomorrow, maybe, if he sober.
She nodded once and nestled against his chest once more.
Sam didn’t have any clear memories of his mother, unlike John and Dean. So he didn’t really know what to expect when he walked into John’s bedroom. He had only seen his mother in photographs. But the woman standing in the middle of the room with twin trails of fire sliding down her cheeks was unmistakably the woman in them.
“Sammy?” she whispered.
“Mom,” he breathed. “Mom, you are so beautiful....”
“I am so sorry.” She was sobbing now. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know.... I didn’t know, Sammy....”
Tears started pouring down Sam’s cheeks as well. “It’s okay, Mom. Gabriel explained. I forgive you. And... and it’s okay now. I’m cured. And we got Azazel and the fallen angel who set you up. It’s over.”
“My boy. My grown-up boy.” She surged forward and he suddenly had his mother in his arms.
“Mom,” he sobbed. “Oh, Mom....”
“I want to stay... but I have to rest,” she sobbed. “It’s not fair.”
“I know. We want you to stay, too, but... Gabriel said....”
She pulled back and looked at him.
“I know we have to let you go,” he whispered, cupping her cheek in his hand.
She nodded, turning to Tricia and raising an eyebrow.
Sam sniffled and cleared his throat. “Uh. Mom, this is my wife, Tricia.”
“Hola, Mama Mary,” Tricia whispered.
She smiled and nodded at Tricia. “Hola, mi hija.”
“Tricia’s the manager at one of the motels here in town,” Sam said. “And I teach history at the high school-this is my fourth year now.”
She frowned slightly. “Dean said he teaches at the high school....”
Sam nodded. “He does. ASL. And so does Gabriel-I mean, we didn’t know who he was until last week, but... he’s kind of mentored both of us the whole time we’ve been here.”
“You are blessed.”
“We are, Mom. We really are.”
“Forgive me?”
“Oh, Mom.” Sam pulled her close once more. “Of course I do.”
“I love you, both of you. You have his heart... I love you too.”
Tricia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both her husband and the shade of her mother-in-law. “I love you, too, Mama Mary.”
She stepped back then and pushed at his shoulder. “Go.... Go get your father and brother.”
He nodded. Yes, ma’am. Then he hurried out of the room.
She caught Tricia’s hand and held it. “Name her Mary,” she whispered. “When you give my Sammy a daughter, name her for me.”
“I will, Mama,” she whispered back. “Prometo.”
The men and Daphne came back in and she cupped Dean’s cheek. “Do not name your child after my first name. I insist upon this.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, Mom. If that’s what you want.”
“It is. I want one other thing now.”
“Name it.”
“Surround me. All five of you.”
Dean held out his hands; Daphne took his left, John his right. Tricia went around behind Mary to join hands with Daphne, and Sam stood between Tricia and John.
She kissed each of them, then kissed John on the lips. She stepped back, her fire-teared eyes on John’s. “I love you.”
“Oh, Mary,” John choked out.
“We will be together again.” She reached out and touched John’s chest.
“How?”
“Believe.” And she began to fade. “I love you.”
“We love you, too, Mom,” the kids chorused.
“Mary,” John whispered brokenly.
“I love you, John. My Johnny. Believe.” And she was gone.
John’s chest burned. His shirt was smoldering. Dean whipped off his overshirt and batted at the smoke. John panted and ripped his shirt open to see what was burning so.
Mary had seared an exact copy of his children’s tattoo into his chest.
Overwhelmed, John fell to his knees and wept. One by one, he felt the kids kneel beside him, surrounding him with their love.
He wasn’t entirely certain who he was leaning against when he dozed off, emotionally exhausted. But from the effortless way he was lifted - his last conscious thought - he was pretty sure it was Sammy.
Brothers and wives filed out of the bedroom, and Sam closed the door behind him. Then, without a word, he stalked over to Gabriel and pulled him into a bear hug.
Gabriel blinked in surprise, but returned the hug, awkwardly patting his back. “Uh...?”
“Thank you,” Sam whispered. “Thank you for everything.”
“It’s okay, Sammy.”
“Hey,” said Dean at his shoulder. “Rest of us want a turn, Sasquatch.”
Sam laughed and backed off.
Dean looked Gabriel in the eye. “I do not damn well care if you go by Bill Cooper or Loki or anything else. You’ve been an angel to us, even though I’m guessin’ you didn’t have to. And for that I thank you.”
Gabriel tilted his head in a nod/bow.
Dean pulled Gabriel into a hug and thumped his back as if he were family. Gabriel returned it, ruffling Dean’s hair like he always did. Tricia went next, followed by Daphne.
“I love you all, you know that,” Gabriel muttered.
“Of course we do,” Daphne returned. “If it hadn’t been clear before, the fact that you came that night when Azazel attacked Sam was proof enough.”
“So,” Sam sighed. “Where do we go from here?”
“Home,” Tricia replied, slipping her hand into his. “There’s one last thing I promised Mama Mary I’d do... and the sooner we start, the better.”
Sam frowned in confusion at her. “... all right....”
Then she smiled that smile at him, and his eyes went wide as he caught her drift.
“We’ll... ah... s-see y’all tomorrow,” he said, hurrying her out to the motorcycle.
That my boy, Dean signed, grinning.
Gabriel and Daphne laughed, and Daphne pulled Dean close and kissed him.
Dean returned it warmly. Then he looked up at Gabriel. Cooper, it really all over?
Gabriel nodded. “If Uriel shows, Castiel will take care of him. Don’t worry-” Then he grinned. “... Dad.”
Dean’s cheeks kissed pink and he turned to Daphne, drawing his hands in to ‘whisper’. Nobody left to tell but Sam and Dad.
And Melinda and Lily, and the librarians, and the Robichauxs and Pastor Tim....
“Oh, you can leave the rest of town to me,” Gabriel interrupted cheerfully. “I’m a horrible gossip when I want to be.” He winked.
Dean burst out laughing.
Gabriel laughed as well. “Go on, lovebirds. Get outta here.”
Dean went serious. You stay with Dad?
“Of course. You don’t think I’m going to Sam’s house, do you?”
Dean hugged him again and then he and Daphne left.
John appeared at the top of the stairs not five minutes later.
Gabriel turned. “Hey, John.”
“You’re still here.” He sounded shocked. “The kids?”
“Gone home. Promised I’d stick around, make sure you didn’t fall down the stairs or anything.”
“I won’t fall down the-” John started down the stairs as he talked and his foot slipped about halfway down. “... well, shit.”
Gabriel laughed and snapped his fingers, and John suddenly found himself safely on the couch.
“How do I know you didn’t make me trip in the first place?” But there was no heat in it.
Gabriel snorted. “Please. I let you fall, I don’t get my car fixed.”
John smiled briefly at him, then looked away. His eyes were full of agony.
“John. You’ll see her again. Sooner than you think-and no,” he added when John looked back at him in alarm, “I don’t mean you’re going to die.”
“Then what do you mean?”
He smirked. “You’ll see.”
Later that evening, Kali looked down at the ball of flame nestled in one of her palms. “Such second chances are rare,” she whispered. “Use the time well.”
Then she turned her hand over and pressed it down on a sleeping Tricia’s abdomen.