Hell Hath No Fury (7/8) - SPN/Mag7/HL
Title: Hell Hath No Fury - (7/8)
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom/Universe: Supernatural, Magnificent 7; In the Aces Immortal Highlander AU
Beta: ithildyn
Rating: PG-13
Characters: From SPN: Dean and Sam Winchester. From Mag7: Vin Tanner, Ezra Standish, Buck Wilmington, JD Dunne, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez and Inez Rocillos; OFC - Cecily Desjardins; Vin/Cecily
Summary: What if Sam and Dean were hunters in the Old West? The Winchesters are chasing something evil which is leaving a trail of bodies across the southwest. The hunt leads them to Four Corners and a meeting with the lawmen who protect the town.
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8
Hell Hath No Fury: Chapter 7
Sam figured that in a room full of trigger-happy gunslingers, and he included his brother in that description, it would be up to him to make sure things went as smoothly as possible. Dean and Josiah had apparently come to the same conclusion and both had silently encouraged Sam to take charge.
He turned to face Cecily and silently planned what needed to be done. Behind him he could hear Vin talking with Ezra; calming the man down and filling him in on what had occurred while he'd been unconscious.
No, Sam thought. The man had been dead. He shook his head trying to wrap his mind around the idea that Ezra had come back to life, and apparently, his friends did not find that fact to be all that unusual. He didn't know Josiah very well, but Bobby had trained the man, trusted him, and that went a long way toward Sam trusting Josiah too. While Sam still wasn't comfortable with the whole situation, he had to believe that if the older hunter had seen the gambler as a threat, Josiah would have taken Ezra out himself.
Sam knew that before he and Dean got an explanation of the mystery surrounding Ezra, they had to confirm what was controlling Cecily and deal with it. In order to do that, they needed to wake her up and confirm that the cameo was indeed a cursed object.
He looked over at Nathan. "Do you have any smelling salts; something we can use to bring her around?"
The healer nodded and began rummaging around on his shelves. "Found them," he announced and handed a small vial to Sam.
A fire was already going in Nathan's small stove and that would be used for the final step of burning, really melting, the cameo. "Dean, we'll need salt."
He nodded, and without a word, left the room to retrieve their supply from his saddle bags.
"Whatcha need salt for?" Buck asked.
"We have to salt and burn the cameo," Sam explained. "The purity of the salt and fire should cleanse the object and destroy the source of its evil."
"And if it doesn't?“ Ezra asked. "What if you are wrong about the cameo? What if Cecily - "
Sam turned to look at Ezra, who was staring fixedly at Cecily. Sam could sense the fear for her safety and sanity that the man was trying very hard to conceal. As he looked around the room, Sam saw similar fears on all their faces.
"We will save her," Sam said simply. "It's what we do and we won't stop until we figure out how to release her from its hold."
Josiah came to stand between Vin and Ezra, laying a hand on each man's shoulder in a show of support. "I know you are worried, but I trust them. They are very good at what they do."
The older hunter's eyes met Sam's in unspoken confirmation that he truly did believe the Winchesters could do as they promised. Sam was flattered that Josiah believed in their abilities and was determined not to let them down. He hoped once Cecily was free, and the evil excised, that these men would be able to reciprocate that trust. As much as his brother thought they might be able to intimidate the answers from the peacekeepers, they were still out numbered and ultimately could be sent forcibly on their way without the explanation of Ezra's ability.
Dean returned a moment later with the salt and they completed their preparations.
Sam unstoppered the bottle and nodded to Dean, who had moved behind Cecily, knife held at the ready. Once she was awake, and the evil possession confirmed, Dean would cut the cursed object from around her neck and toss it into the stove.
Sam could feel everyone holding their collective breathes as he passed the noxious chemical beneath Cecily's nose. The effect was instantaneous. Her head bobbed from side to side as if trying to get away from the smell, before her eyes blinked open and her cold gaze settled on Sam.
"Cecily?" Sam asked tentatively, already knowing that the young woman they'd met in front of the jail was not the one staring at him.
She remained silent; her upper lip curled in disgust as she glared at Sam. She attempted to pull her arms up and struggled fiercely against the bonds holding her in place. Small grunts of anger escaped as she tried to free herself. Twisting her wrists against the bonds, the rope began cutting into her skin.
"Stop this," Ezra shouted and kneeling in front Cecily grabbed her wrists to prevent her doing any more damage to her tender flesh.
Cecily's eyes went wide at the sight of him. "I killed you…I know I did!" She screeched. "Filthy cockroach. Why won't you die?"
Ezra ignored the insults and held his hands tightly over his sister's wrists refusing to be cowed by the harridan inside her. "Gentlemen, isn't about time you freed my sister," he said, glaring up at Dean.
Sam was impressed by Ezra's cool headedness in the face of his sister's transformation. "Do it," he commanded his brother
Nodding, Dean reached for the necklace. Cecily twisted her neck trying to get away from his touch. "No! Don't - "
Her protests ended abruptly as Dean cut the ribbon and pulled the cameo from around her neck. He held the necklace up as they all waited, wondering if Cecily was truly free.
She blinked, opening and closing her mouth as she gazed at Ezra, who was still holding her wrists as he knelt in front of her. An attempt to move her arms brought a frown to her face
"Ezra?" she demanded. "What in the world is going on? Untie me this instant!"
"Cecily, is it really you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course it's me. What is wrong with you? Untie me, now!"
He hesitated, looking past Cecily to Dean. "Is it safe?"
Before Dean could reply Cecily shouted, "Safe! This is ridiculous." She bucked against her restraints, fear and confusion warring across her visage
"Calm down, Cecily!" He moved his hand from her wrist to stroke her arm, as if gentling a frightened animal. "You must understand, you haven't been yourself and - " Ezra trailed off.
"What exactly do you mean?" She stilled, finally, as she took in her brother's disheveled appearance. "Ezra, is that blood on your shirt?"
Sam could tell Ezra was struggling with exactly what to tell his sister about her murderous rampage. It wasn't her fault, but Sam suspected that no one, especially Vin, wanted to revisit what had occurred.
Dean, showing his usual lack of tact and patience, jumped into the silence. "You were possessed. You tried to kill your beau and your brother, but it's all over now."
"Dean!" Sam hissed. His brother was never one to choose his words wisely, but there was no reason to deliberately antagonize these men.
Ezra sprung to his feet to confront the older Winchester. "That was uncalled for." His anger was obvious, but controlled.
"It's the truth." Dean shrugged. "Don't have time for all the emotional bullcrap right now." He held up the cameo in Ezra's face to emphasize his point. "Got an evil necklace to destroy."
When Ezra stepped closer, the possibility of violence in his movement, Josiah pushed his way between them. "Ezra, why don't you release Cecily from her bonds. I'm sure we all agree she's herself again."
Ezra glared once more at Dean before nodding and moving back to his sister's side. Cecily, for her part, had fallen silent and seemed to decide, after looking into her brother's eyes, that maybe she could wait to know the details of what had happened
"And you," Josiah pointed at Dean, "shut up and finish this before I decide it might be more fun to just shoot you."
Dean's smirk turned to a frown when he registered that maybe Josiah wasn't kidding. "Fine!" he snapped. "Let’s chaw up this evil knick knack and then," Dean looked pointedly at Ezra who was assisting his sister to her feet, "I'll be ready to hear all about Mr. Standish's magical return from the dead."
Cecily's eyes went wide. "How does he -"
Ezra placed a hand on her arm to silence her. "One thing at a time, Cecily." Then he gestured to the necklace Dean was holding. "Of course, Mr. Winchester. You simply need to complete your end of the bargain and then I shall hold to mine."
Dean grinned, believing he'd come out on top. Opening the small metal door in the belly of the stove, he flung the cameo inside. Sam grabbed the salt and saturated the fire with it. As the cameo dissolved, the flames sparked and crackled while the smoke billowing up the stovepipe turned a blood red. Dean slammed the door shut, but an odd glow was still visible through the grated opening.
Everyone watched in silence as the flames inside seemed to grow and swell before the supernatural aspects of the fire burned itself out.
"I'm gonna say that we've found our evil source." Dean chuckled.
"But I still don't understand," Nathan said. "How was the necklace the reason for everything that happened?"
"We may never know exactly how the necklace came to be cursed," Sam admitted.
"Probably belonged to some bitch who had it in for men," Dean quipped and then seeing Cecily frown, he added, "Sorry ma'am. I just meant - uh - "
"What Dean is trying to say," Sam interrupted as he threw a frown in his brother's direction, "is that someone with the right ability or under the right circumstances can curse an object."
"You mean some woman did this on purpose?" Nathan pushed.
"Maybe on purpose or maybe simply by accident." Sam hesitated. He truly had no idea how the cameo might have come into its power, but he sensed that Nathan and the others needed some kind of closure. Sam wasn't above a little speculation if it meant this whole hunt could be put to rest. "It might have been a woman who was murdered while wearing the cameo; most likely by a man she trusted or cared about. The violence would have left the cameo imprinted with her desire for revenge."
"And that desire gave the object purpose," Josiah picked up the thread of exposition. "Made it seek out women to do what the original owner couldn't; avenge her death. Sam, that's just down right brilliant."
Dean smirked and winked at Sam. "My big brained brother gets it right sometimes."
Sam tried not to laugh at Dean's backhanded compliment for the story he'd woven. He was relieved to see that they all seemed to accept his explanation. Whether it was the truth or not he'd never know, as the cameo was gone and could no longer enthrall women to murder in some long forgotten vendetta.
Nathan had turned to stare at the dying embers in the stove. "Helpless people can generate a powerful hate, but to make an object do their bidding after death -" he shivered at the thought. "It's hard to wrap my mind around that."
"But Sam's story makes sense when ya consider all the things Cecily and Inez done under its influence," Buck agreed.
Cecily frowned at Buck, and Sam knew she was about to start demanding answers, but he wanted to know about Ezra first. If they got caught up in Cecily's emotions Ezra might use her as an excuse to focus on her and ignore his promise to explain his true nature.
"I think - " Sam began, but was interrupted but a sharp knock on the door followed immediately by the twisting of the knob that brought them all up short.
Josiah immediately moved to block the door, but was too late as it was thrown open.
"Hey guys," JD said as he bounded into the room. "Ya know Inez is all alone in the jail?" He stopped as he took in the sight in front of him. Frowning he looked to Buck. "What's everyone doing up here?"
Sam almost laughed at JD's confusion. So much had happened since the young lawman had left on patrol that it was had to believe it was still the same day.
Dean met Sam's eyes and tilted his head toward Ezra, indicating that he was running out of patience for everyone else's questions and wanted an explanation about the gambler's resurrection and he wanted it now.
As if sensing the need to move things along, Buck twirled JD around and pointed him out the door. "Why don't I explain it all to ya while we go get Inez." The big man stopped and looked back at Josiah. "It is alright ta release her, ain't it?"
"Sure, Buck," he replied. "But we'll need to come up with a story to explain why we're letting her go."
"One, I might add," Ezra interjected, "that does not in any way insinuate that I provoked the senorita."
Buck laughed. "Oh, I think I can handle tellin' a real good story."
"That, Mr. Wilmington, is exactly what I am afraid of."
"I'll go with 'em," Nathan said. "I should check on Inez anyway; make sure she's ok. She did take a nasty blow to the head." Nathan was still a bit unsettled by what had transpired and was happy to find an excuse to leave the stifling confines of the infirmary. "And Ezra - " He turned back to the gambler
"Yes, Nathan?"
The healer merely pointed at the bed. Ezra sighed knowing that while he might have to explain his recovery to the Winchester's, the rest of the town still believed him to be injured. With an exasperated flourish, he fell back onto the cot. "Happy?" he snapped.
"Yeah, now stay there," Nathan commanded before pulling the door closed behind him.
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom/Universe: Supernatural, Magnificent 7; In the Aces Immortal Highlander AU
Beta: ithildyn
Rating: PG-13
Characters: From SPN: Dean and Sam Winchester. From Mag7: Vin Tanner, Ezra Standish, Buck Wilmington, JD Dunne, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez and Inez Rocillos; OFC - Cecily Desjardins; Vin/Cecily
Summary: What if Sam and Dean were hunters in the Old West? The Winchesters are chasing something evil which is leaving a trail of bodies across the southwest. The hunt leads them to Four Corners and a meeting with the lawmen who protect the town.
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8
Hell Hath No Fury: Chapter 7
Sam figured that in a room full of trigger-happy gunslingers, and he included his brother in that description, it would be up to him to make sure things went as smoothly as possible. Dean and Josiah had apparently come to the same conclusion and both had silently encouraged Sam to take charge.
He turned to face Cecily and silently planned what needed to be done. Behind him he could hear Vin talking with Ezra; calming the man down and filling him in on what had occurred while he'd been unconscious.
No, Sam thought. The man had been dead. He shook his head trying to wrap his mind around the idea that Ezra had come back to life, and apparently, his friends did not find that fact to be all that unusual. He didn't know Josiah very well, but Bobby had trained the man, trusted him, and that went a long way toward Sam trusting Josiah too. While Sam still wasn't comfortable with the whole situation, he had to believe that if the older hunter had seen the gambler as a threat, Josiah would have taken Ezra out himself.
Sam knew that before he and Dean got an explanation of the mystery surrounding Ezra, they had to confirm what was controlling Cecily and deal with it. In order to do that, they needed to wake her up and confirm that the cameo was indeed a cursed object.
He looked over at Nathan. "Do you have any smelling salts; something we can use to bring her around?"
The healer nodded and began rummaging around on his shelves. "Found them," he announced and handed a small vial to Sam.
A fire was already going in Nathan's small stove and that would be used for the final step of burning, really melting, the cameo. "Dean, we'll need salt."
He nodded, and without a word, left the room to retrieve their supply from his saddle bags.
"Whatcha need salt for?" Buck asked.
"We have to salt and burn the cameo," Sam explained. "The purity of the salt and fire should cleanse the object and destroy the source of its evil."
"And if it doesn't?“ Ezra asked. "What if you are wrong about the cameo? What if Cecily - "
Sam turned to look at Ezra, who was staring fixedly at Cecily. Sam could sense the fear for her safety and sanity that the man was trying very hard to conceal. As he looked around the room, Sam saw similar fears on all their faces.
"We will save her," Sam said simply. "It's what we do and we won't stop until we figure out how to release her from its hold."
Josiah came to stand between Vin and Ezra, laying a hand on each man's shoulder in a show of support. "I know you are worried, but I trust them. They are very good at what they do."
The older hunter's eyes met Sam's in unspoken confirmation that he truly did believe the Winchesters could do as they promised. Sam was flattered that Josiah believed in their abilities and was determined not to let them down. He hoped once Cecily was free, and the evil excised, that these men would be able to reciprocate that trust. As much as his brother thought they might be able to intimidate the answers from the peacekeepers, they were still out numbered and ultimately could be sent forcibly on their way without the explanation of Ezra's ability.
Dean returned a moment later with the salt and they completed their preparations.
Sam unstoppered the bottle and nodded to Dean, who had moved behind Cecily, knife held at the ready. Once she was awake, and the evil possession confirmed, Dean would cut the cursed object from around her neck and toss it into the stove.
Sam could feel everyone holding their collective breathes as he passed the noxious chemical beneath Cecily's nose. The effect was instantaneous. Her head bobbed from side to side as if trying to get away from the smell, before her eyes blinked open and her cold gaze settled on Sam.
"Cecily?" Sam asked tentatively, already knowing that the young woman they'd met in front of the jail was not the one staring at him.
She remained silent; her upper lip curled in disgust as she glared at Sam. She attempted to pull her arms up and struggled fiercely against the bonds holding her in place. Small grunts of anger escaped as she tried to free herself. Twisting her wrists against the bonds, the rope began cutting into her skin.
"Stop this," Ezra shouted and kneeling in front Cecily grabbed her wrists to prevent her doing any more damage to her tender flesh.
Cecily's eyes went wide at the sight of him. "I killed you…I know I did!" She screeched. "Filthy cockroach. Why won't you die?"
Ezra ignored the insults and held his hands tightly over his sister's wrists refusing to be cowed by the harridan inside her. "Gentlemen, isn't about time you freed my sister," he said, glaring up at Dean.
Sam was impressed by Ezra's cool headedness in the face of his sister's transformation. "Do it," he commanded his brother
Nodding, Dean reached for the necklace. Cecily twisted her neck trying to get away from his touch. "No! Don't - "
Her protests ended abruptly as Dean cut the ribbon and pulled the cameo from around her neck. He held the necklace up as they all waited, wondering if Cecily was truly free.
She blinked, opening and closing her mouth as she gazed at Ezra, who was still holding her wrists as he knelt in front of her. An attempt to move her arms brought a frown to her face
"Ezra?" she demanded. "What in the world is going on? Untie me this instant!"
"Cecily, is it really you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course it's me. What is wrong with you? Untie me, now!"
He hesitated, looking past Cecily to Dean. "Is it safe?"
Before Dean could reply Cecily shouted, "Safe! This is ridiculous." She bucked against her restraints, fear and confusion warring across her visage
"Calm down, Cecily!" He moved his hand from her wrist to stroke her arm, as if gentling a frightened animal. "You must understand, you haven't been yourself and - " Ezra trailed off.
"What exactly do you mean?" She stilled, finally, as she took in her brother's disheveled appearance. "Ezra, is that blood on your shirt?"
Sam could tell Ezra was struggling with exactly what to tell his sister about her murderous rampage. It wasn't her fault, but Sam suspected that no one, especially Vin, wanted to revisit what had occurred.
Dean, showing his usual lack of tact and patience, jumped into the silence. "You were possessed. You tried to kill your beau and your brother, but it's all over now."
"Dean!" Sam hissed. His brother was never one to choose his words wisely, but there was no reason to deliberately antagonize these men.
Ezra sprung to his feet to confront the older Winchester. "That was uncalled for." His anger was obvious, but controlled.
"It's the truth." Dean shrugged. "Don't have time for all the emotional bullcrap right now." He held up the cameo in Ezra's face to emphasize his point. "Got an evil necklace to destroy."
When Ezra stepped closer, the possibility of violence in his movement, Josiah pushed his way between them. "Ezra, why don't you release Cecily from her bonds. I'm sure we all agree she's herself again."
Ezra glared once more at Dean before nodding and moving back to his sister's side. Cecily, for her part, had fallen silent and seemed to decide, after looking into her brother's eyes, that maybe she could wait to know the details of what had happened
"And you," Josiah pointed at Dean, "shut up and finish this before I decide it might be more fun to just shoot you."
Dean's smirk turned to a frown when he registered that maybe Josiah wasn't kidding. "Fine!" he snapped. "Let’s chaw up this evil knick knack and then," Dean looked pointedly at Ezra who was assisting his sister to her feet, "I'll be ready to hear all about Mr. Standish's magical return from the dead."
Cecily's eyes went wide. "How does he -"
Ezra placed a hand on her arm to silence her. "One thing at a time, Cecily." Then he gestured to the necklace Dean was holding. "Of course, Mr. Winchester. You simply need to complete your end of the bargain and then I shall hold to mine."
Dean grinned, believing he'd come out on top. Opening the small metal door in the belly of the stove, he flung the cameo inside. Sam grabbed the salt and saturated the fire with it. As the cameo dissolved, the flames sparked and crackled while the smoke billowing up the stovepipe turned a blood red. Dean slammed the door shut, but an odd glow was still visible through the grated opening.
Everyone watched in silence as the flames inside seemed to grow and swell before the supernatural aspects of the fire burned itself out.
"I'm gonna say that we've found our evil source." Dean chuckled.
"But I still don't understand," Nathan said. "How was the necklace the reason for everything that happened?"
"We may never know exactly how the necklace came to be cursed," Sam admitted.
"Probably belonged to some bitch who had it in for men," Dean quipped and then seeing Cecily frown, he added, "Sorry ma'am. I just meant - uh - "
"What Dean is trying to say," Sam interrupted as he threw a frown in his brother's direction, "is that someone with the right ability or under the right circumstances can curse an object."
"You mean some woman did this on purpose?" Nathan pushed.
"Maybe on purpose or maybe simply by accident." Sam hesitated. He truly had no idea how the cameo might have come into its power, but he sensed that Nathan and the others needed some kind of closure. Sam wasn't above a little speculation if it meant this whole hunt could be put to rest. "It might have been a woman who was murdered while wearing the cameo; most likely by a man she trusted or cared about. The violence would have left the cameo imprinted with her desire for revenge."
"And that desire gave the object purpose," Josiah picked up the thread of exposition. "Made it seek out women to do what the original owner couldn't; avenge her death. Sam, that's just down right brilliant."
Dean smirked and winked at Sam. "My big brained brother gets it right sometimes."
Sam tried not to laugh at Dean's backhanded compliment for the story he'd woven. He was relieved to see that they all seemed to accept his explanation. Whether it was the truth or not he'd never know, as the cameo was gone and could no longer enthrall women to murder in some long forgotten vendetta.
Nathan had turned to stare at the dying embers in the stove. "Helpless people can generate a powerful hate, but to make an object do their bidding after death -" he shivered at the thought. "It's hard to wrap my mind around that."
"But Sam's story makes sense when ya consider all the things Cecily and Inez done under its influence," Buck agreed.
Cecily frowned at Buck, and Sam knew she was about to start demanding answers, but he wanted to know about Ezra first. If they got caught up in Cecily's emotions Ezra might use her as an excuse to focus on her and ignore his promise to explain his true nature.
"I think - " Sam began, but was interrupted but a sharp knock on the door followed immediately by the twisting of the knob that brought them all up short.
Josiah immediately moved to block the door, but was too late as it was thrown open.
"Hey guys," JD said as he bounded into the room. "Ya know Inez is all alone in the jail?" He stopped as he took in the sight in front of him. Frowning he looked to Buck. "What's everyone doing up here?"
Sam almost laughed at JD's confusion. So much had happened since the young lawman had left on patrol that it was had to believe it was still the same day.
Dean met Sam's eyes and tilted his head toward Ezra, indicating that he was running out of patience for everyone else's questions and wanted an explanation about the gambler's resurrection and he wanted it now.
As if sensing the need to move things along, Buck twirled JD around and pointed him out the door. "Why don't I explain it all to ya while we go get Inez." The big man stopped and looked back at Josiah. "It is alright ta release her, ain't it?"
"Sure, Buck," he replied. "But we'll need to come up with a story to explain why we're letting her go."
"One, I might add," Ezra interjected, "that does not in any way insinuate that I provoked the senorita."
Buck laughed. "Oh, I think I can handle tellin' a real good story."
"That, Mr. Wilmington, is exactly what I am afraid of."
"I'll go with 'em," Nathan said. "I should check on Inez anyway; make sure she's ok. She did take a nasty blow to the head." Nathan was still a bit unsettled by what had transpired and was happy to find an excuse to leave the stifling confines of the infirmary. "And Ezra - " He turned back to the gambler
"Yes, Nathan?"
The healer merely pointed at the bed. Ezra sighed knowing that while he might have to explain his recovery to the Winchester's, the rest of the town still believed him to be injured. With an exasperated flourish, he fell back onto the cot. "Happy?" he snapped.
"Yeah, now stay there," Nathan commanded before pulling the door closed behind him.