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angelsandacceptance · 3 years

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Sex and Violence

Chase and Harley are in bed, the latter on her phone, the former snoring away peacefully. Light filters through the dusty blinds, lighting up the dusty room. A notification sounds from Chase’s phone, causing her to groan.

She flips herself onto her stomach, muttering something incoherent, falling back asleep. Harley rolls her eyes, grabbing Chase’s phone from the nightstand and throwing it at her.

Chase lifts her head enough to glare at Harley. “You literally know my password. Check it yourself. Why are you so mean to me.”

“Friendship is just socially acceptable bullying, with extra support,” Harley shrugs.

“You are horrible.”

“But you love me anyway.”

“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I completely understand the reasoning.” Chase checks her phone, finally, and does a pathetic excuse for what one might call ‘whistling lowly’. “Sam’s got us another case. Murders.”

“Where we heading?” Harley asks, going through her bag.

“Bedford, Iowa.”

“But we were just in Iowa,” Harley groans.

“I thought you’d be excited for a new job.”

“I am, but I don’t know. I just don’t wanna go back to Iowa. Been there done that. It’s too soon you know?”

“Are you actually cut up about a case?”

“No,” Harley says unconvincingly.

“You are!”

“Maybe a bit.”

“I mean fair. You did find him dead after you hooked up.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I just regret sleeping with Jeb is all.”

“That bad?”

“No, it really was the best sex I’ve ever had, but…”

“But he wasn’t Dean.”

“No. Well yes, but no. I just, I didn’t feel anything. There was no connection, you know?”

“And with Dean there is?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t slept with him.” Harley says, shaking her head.

“Yet,” Chase says emphasising the word.

Harley rolls her eyes before finding her lipstick, “Fucking finally,” She mutters.

“You’ve thought about it, haven’t you?”

“Only because you keep suggesting it.”

***

Harley and Dean enter the prison interview room in their suits. Benson speaks upon seeing them, “Why does the PD keep sending you guys? I already said I don't want a lawyer.”

“I’m not a lawyer,” Harley says smoothly.

“Yeah, she’s my assistant,” Dean lies.

“I’m your paralegal, not your assistant.”

“Either way you're mine,” Dean smirks.

“This is reality, not whatever porno you have playing in your head. I’ve seen your search history,” Harley snarks before sitting across from Benson, “Look Mr. Benson. They’re lining up the firing squad.”

“I’m pleading guilty,” Benson replies.

“All right, look, you don't want us to represent you, that's fine. In fact it's probably not a bad idea, between you and me. We just wanna understand what happened, that's all,” Dean explains.

“Please, Mr. Benson,” Harley says, batting her eyelashes.

“What happened was, I killed my wife. You wanna know why? Because she made plans without asking me,” Benson responds pointedly.

“When you were killing her, how did you feel? Like you weren’t in control? Disoriented?”

“Like something possessed you to do it?” Dean asks, causing Harley to shoot him a look.

“I knew exactly what I was doing. I was crystal clear,” Benson claims.

“Then why’d you do it?”

“I don't know. I loved her. We were happy.”

“Mmhmm? Ms. Way those papers please?” Dean says, eyeing the folder Harley was carrying.

“Right,” She says, pulling a bank statement out of the folder and placing it on the table.

Dean taps the papers, “Nine G's. That's a hefty bill.”

“Where did you get that?” Benson asks quickly.

“Doesn't matter. We have it. See, certain charges, ones you don't want the missus to know...they show up under shady names like 'M & C Entertainment'.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Like dropping plastic at a nudie bar for instance.”

“We just wanna know the truth, Mr. Benson,” Harley says exasperated.

“Her name was Jasmine,” Benson says dreamily, “I didn't mean for it to happen, I don't like to go to strip bars. My buddy was having a bachelor party, and there she was. She came right up to me. And...I dunno, she was just...perfect. Everything that I wanted.”

“Well you pay enough and anybody will be anything,” Dean shrugs.

“Not anybody,” Harley corrects.

“Most people,” Dean amends.

“Did your wife find out?”

“No, she never had a clue,” Benson answers.

“Why’d you kill her then?”

“For Jasmine. She said we would be together forever. If...if only Vicki was…”

“Muertos,” Dean finishes for him.

“Afterwards, me and Jasmine were supposed to meet and she never showed. I don't know where she lives, I don't know her last name, I don't even know her real first name! I'm an idiot.”

“Yeah, a bit,” Harley agrees.

***

Sam and Chase walk into the office of an ER just as the woman behind the desk tips a couple of aspirin into her hand, tipping her head back and downing them. She makes a sour face, shaking her head slightly.

“Rough night?” Sam asks.

“Fun night,” Cara Roberts responds, “Rough morning.”

Chase laughs. “That’s how I like them.”

“Can I help you?” Cara asks.

“Ah, yes, I’m Agent Stiles, and this is my partner-”

“Agent McCall, ma’am,” Chase interrupts.

“We’re FBI. You Doctor Cara Roberts?”

“Far as I know.”

“You do some work in the sheriff’s department?”

“Yeah, when I’m not slogging it in the ER. It’s a small town, we multitask.”

“Well, we have some questions about a case.”

“Several cases, actually,” Chase adds. “Do you mind if we sit?”

Cara gestures to a couple of open chairs and they take their seats.

“Great. Adam Benson, Jim Wylie, and Steve Snyder.”

“Oh yeah, the men that killed their wives.”

“You handled their workups, right?” Sam asks.

“Autopsies for the wives and tox screens for the perps. A two for one.”

“Find anything?” Chase asks.

“Not really.” Cara shrugs. “I mean, c.o.d. on the women were pretty clear. There was nothing unusual in their systems.”

“What about their husbands?” Chase asks.

“Can I, uh, see your badges again?”

Chase shoots Sam a side glance, confused, but they both oblige without another thought.

“There was one thing, an anomaly in the blood work. And I remember thinking how strange it was that it showed up in all three of the men.”

“That what showed up?”

“Oxytocin. And their levels were crazy high.”

“Oxytocin?” Sam asks.

“Mm-hmm. It’s a hormone that’s produced during childbirth, lactation, and sex.”

“Okay?”

“People call it the love hormone. Um, you know how it feels when you first fall in love. The whole weak in the knees, tattoo you on my chest thing? That's oxytocin. Of course it eventually fades and then you're stuck with every relationship ever. That and the painful regime of tattoo removal.”

Cara and Sam smile at each other, and Chase’s eyebrows shoot up in mock interest. She looks to the side playfully, and Sam rolls his eyes at her. Dean and Harley walk in at that moment.

“What’d I miss?” Dean asks.

“Ah, these are our partners. Agent Murdoch and Agent Argent.”

“Agent sounds so formal, please, just call me Dean.”

Cara shakes his hand briskly before turning her gaze back to Sam. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Uh, sure one more thing. This chemical, this…”

“Oxytocin.”

“Oxytocin. What could cause those high levels that you found?”

“Nothing that I’ve ever seen.”

“Okay, well that’s it then. Thanks, Doc.”

They all go to leave, but Sam hesitates at the door, being the last to exit. He turns around and gets Cara’s attention again. “Try a greasy breakfast. Best cure for a hangover.”

“Watch it, buddy. I’m the only M.D. here.”

They exchange coy smiles again, and Chase smirks at Harley with a knowing look. Dean, however, looks affronted.

They all finally exit and Dean hits Sam lightly against his stomach with the back of his hand. “Dude, you totally cock-blocked me.”

Chase and Harley, walking in front of the boys, roll their eyes in sync.

***

“So Whylie and Snyder totally fessed up, huh?” Sam asks.

“One emptied his IRA, the other, his kids' college fund, all on the same day,” Dean confirms.

“Live nude girls?”

“A club called, and I can’t believe I’m actually going to say this, ‘The Honey Wagon’,” Harley says shuddering.

“Ah, yes, because nothing makes me hornier than wagons of honey,” Chase says sarcastically.

“Gods, I hate that name so much.”

“Did these guys have an affair too?” Sam asks. “Lemme guess. Her name was Jasmine?” Chase asks.

“Yes and no. This is where things get interesting. Each guy hooked up with a different chick.”

“So what? These girls all connected somehow?”

“Well, they all described their stripper in the same way, the exact same way. Perfect, and everything that they wanted.”

“Yeah, at least until dream Barbie convinced them to murder their wives,” Chase says.

“There’s that,” Dean concedes.

“Sounds like they were under some kind of love spell,” Chase suggests.

“Sure seems that way,” Sam agrees.

“Which caused them to go totally psycho,” Harley adds.

“Absolutely.”

“You seem pretty cheery,” Chase snidely comments towards Dean.

“Strippers, Chase. Strippers. We're on an actual case involving strippers. Finally.”

***

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Chase grumpily says, huffing as she pulls on the tiny skirt adorning her waist, not even bothering to try covering more with her top, which is simply doomed to fail. “How come the boys never have to do shit like this?”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re just lucky,” Harley says, adjusting her barely there bra, “It’s not like we have to perform though.”

“That's true. Hey, I bet I could make more money than you in tips alone.”

“Oh you are on!”

With that, the girls walk through the backstage area, intent on finding the culprits.

“Have you heard from Jasmine lately?” Chase asks casually to one of the girls, putting on makeup.

“No idea who you’re talkin’ about, hon. Lemme guess. You’re new around here, ain’t ya?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“What’s your name?”

“Anastasia.”

The girl’s eyebrow raises slightly. “Here’s a tip of the trade, Anastasia. Don’t go lookin’ for other girls. They won’t be found and ya won’t get anything good from them.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Chase answers hesitantly, backing away to go stand near Harley once more.

“I fucking hate it here.”

“I mean, it’s not that bad. Plenty of eye candy,” Harley muses.

“I’m trying to not ogle at the very beautiful ladies here.”

“You swing that way?” one of the other girls asks.

“I swing all ways,” Chase responds.

“Good for you.”

“Hey, you’re a pretty thing, ain’t you?” A man asks, walking past with a girl on each arm. His eyes slide up and down Harley’s body and Chase has to refrain from gouging his eyes out. “What’s your name?”

“Giselle. What about you sweetheart?”

“Johnny. But you can call me anything you’d like. Wanna join us?”

“Sorry, but we both have clients to see to,” Chase interrupts.

“That’s a shame, maybe I’ll see you around?”

“Maybe?” Harley says sweetly as Johnny leaves, “Thank the gods he’s gone.”

“I hate all men.” Chase shudders dramatically. “Okay, let’s go out into the lion’s den.”

As soon as the girls step foot into the main bar, lights and music overtake them. Bodies on the dance floor morph into a complicated mess of tangled limbs and barely clothed people. In fact, some of them might no longer be clothed at all.

“How are we going to find the boys in this mess?”

“I’m not sure who you lovely ladies are looking for, but we’ve got all you need right here!” An overly drunk man shouts, gesturing to a group of seven men, all wearing matching shirts that read ‘Wayne’s last night’.

“Well, I don’t want to impose,” Chase says slowly, immediately putting on a persona of fake innocence.

“Not imposing at all, love. Come join us.”

“Well, Giselle? I think the boys can wait a little bit.”

Chase smirks mischievously before going to take a shot from one of the men. “Thank you kindly.” She downs it with no problem, and the men all whoop, handing her another.

“How many can you have before you come home with us?”

“I don’t think you have enough money to pay for that many shots, sorry.”

“Sorry boys, we don’t get taken home that easy,” Harley dodges.

Chase becomes a little too preoccupied with one of the groomsmen, earning herself a nice makeout session, two more shots, and twenty bucks.

The girls finally leave, earning a chorus of ‘no’s and ‘what a shame’ from the men. They go back to searching for Sam and Dean, a feat that seems near impossible.

“Why can’t they just stay where we left them?” Harley asks, annoyed.

“Because it’s Sam and Dean. When do they ever stay where we leave them?”

“I know, but it makes life so much harder,” Harley complains. Then as if a sign from God himself Harley spots a familiar head hovering above everyone else’s. “Found ya!” Harley shouts in excitement. The girls rush over as fast as they can without looking suspicious.

“We have a lead,” Sam says.

“Good. Can we get out of here so I can change now?”

“I dunno, I’m kinda enjoying the view,” Dean says with a coy smile, sending a wink towards Harley.

“You can’t leave yet,” A drunk man says. “You’ve gotta give these boys a show first.”

“Yeah!” another man slurs.

Chase wrinkles her nose in disgust. “You wanna show?” she exclaims, about to draw a knife, which she’d hidden in a garter on her leg. Sam catches her arm and pulls her back. It doesn’t help Chase’s mood that Mariah Carey is the music currently playing. Let alone the song, ‘Touch My Body’.

“A little show wouldn’t hurt,” Dean says, shrugging.

Harley glares at him while he just takes a seat mockingly, gesturing for her to go on. A small crowd of drunk and sober men form around them, alongside a few intrigued strippers. Harley sighs.

“I better get a good tip for this,” She says. Dean pulls out a one hundred dollar bill, tucks it into the front of his pants and smiles widely.

“Come and get it.”

Harley rolls her eyes but puts on a false smile, walking over to him slowly, trying to think of what she can do. Chase gets an idea and whispers in Sam’s ear. Sam hands her a twenty, trying to keep himself from laughing.

Chase folds it, then tosses it so it lands right between Dean’s feet.

Harley smirks at it, then bends down slowly, looking up at Dean. Dean swallows hard, suddenly nervous. He’s also horny, but that’s besides the point (at least, that’s what he’ll tell Sam later as Sam laughs at him).

Harley straightens up, before coming to stand right between Dean’s legs. She leans forward, and wraps her arms around Dean’s neck. The chorus to the song comes on at a seemingly perfect time.

‘Touch my body; Put me on the floor; Wrestle me around; Play with me some more; Touch my body; Throw me on the bed; I just wanna make you feel like you never did’

With this last line, Harley runs her hands down to Dean’s belt, pulling on it to make him slide forward towards her on his seat. His eyes noticeably darken as he suddenly avoids her gaze. Wanting to mess with him further, gaining confidence with sheer spite, she pulls Dean’s head forward to look at her again.

Harley uses the bar behind Dean as leverage and wraps her legs around Dean’s waist just as the next line sounds out.

‘Touch my body; Let me wrap my thighs; All around your waist; Just a little taste’

Putting all her weight on her knees, which are balanced on either side of Dean, Harley raises herself up so her body is flush against Dean’s, Dean forced to look up at her to look her in the eyes. Of course, this isn’t the only place he’s looking.

‘Touch my body; know you like my curves; C’mon and give me what I deserve and touch my body’

Harley settles her weight back down and leans back, Dean’s hands instinctively coming up to her shoulder blades as she leans all the way back, making a circle before coming back up to look him in the eyes, putting a little more pressure than necessary on his hips.

She gets off his lap and leans in to kiss him, before smirking and turning away completely. She looks back at him over her shoulder before going to stand near Sam and Chase, leaving Dean stunned and unsure of what to do.

“You didn’t take the cash though?” Sam says questioningly as cheers from the surrounding men chorus around them. Harley smirks and holds up the hundred dollar bill in between two fingers.

“You really doubt me?”

“Never,” Chase says knowingly. “Now let’s get out of here.”

***

Sam and Dean walk into the girls’ room at the Lion’s Pride Motel. Chase is on her bed staring at the ceiling. The faint sound of the shower can be heard briefly, before silence permeates the room.

“So we have a lead?” Chase asks Sam.

Harley exits the bathroom with only a thin towel covering her, “You know I don’t even care anymore? I gave Dean a lap dance y’all can see me in a towel,” She grabs her clothes and heads to the bathroom.

“Well, she didn’t yell at me to get out, that’s progress, maybe next time I can get her to lose the towel,” Dean smirks.

“You perv,” Chase pauses. “Maybe next time, offer more than a hundred.”

“I’m not above that!” Harley yells from the bathroom. “I’ve got this really cool idea for a tattoo I want realized!”

“Yeah, that’s why,” Chase comments sarcastically.

“Hey, it’s your fault I’ve even thought about him naked.”

“You’ve what about me, what?” Dean exclaims, a little too excited.

“Like I said Chase’s fault.”

“Can we get back to the case?” Sam asks

“Why did Chase make you think about me naked?” Dean asks concerned.

“‘Cause she’s always going on about how we’re gonna get together. Duh.” Harley says leaving the bathroom.

“That’s it?” Dean questions further.

“That’s it. Promise.”

“Okay, now we can get back to the case?” Sam asks again.

“Yes, please, let’s do that,” Harley says quickly, wanting to get as far away from the topic of Dean naked as possible.

“So this theory?” Chase prompts.

“A siren,” Sam replies.

“Like Greek myth siren, the Odyssey?” Dean asks. Sam and Harley give him a confused look. “Hey, I read!”

“I don’t doubt that, I just didn’t peg you for an Odyssey kind of guy,” Harley says, slightly impressed.

“You’ll never peg me, sweetheart,” Dean comments, causing Sam to roll his eyes.

“I remember you reading that with me when I went through my huge greek mythology phase,” Chase comments.

“The siren's not actually a myth, it's more of a beautiful creature that preys on men, enticing them with their siren song,” Sam says, trying to bring everyone back to the task at hand.

“Let me guess, 'Welcome to the Jungle?' No, no. Warrant's 'Cherry Pie.'” Dean guesses.

Harley and Chase’s heads whip towards each other as they lock eyes, (honestly it’s a wonder they didn’t get whiplash) before they both simultaneously belt out, “She’s my cherry pie! Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise! Tastes so good, make a grown man cry, sweet cherry pie!!!”

Sam simply looks at them with deadpan expressions.

Dean smirks at Harley, “You trying to entice me? You know you just have to ask and I’m all yours?”

“No, Dean,” Harley says, rubbing her forehead.

“It’s our song,” Chase adds.

“Wait, so are you? Do I want to know? Is that why Harley won’t sleep with me?” Dean asks, getting more and more confused.

“Wow, Dean. We were literally just talking about how I think you and Harley would be perfect together. Trust me, if that beautiful, amazing, talented, brilliant, goddess-like, sexy woman was mine, I’d have punched you by now for even thinking you have a chance.”

“Aww! I think you're sexy too! And all those other things! I’m just not good with words, or compliments.”

“The siren song isn’t a literal song. It’s more a metaphor like...like their call, their allure, you know?” Sam explains bringing everyone back on track.

“So they shake their thing and the guys zombie out,” Dean asks.

“Yeah. If you were a siren in '08 looking to ruin a bunch of morons, where would you set up shop?”

“Well it depends on how I affect my victims? If it’s through sex, an escort service. If it’s through something like saliva, a strip club seems like a pretty good place,” Harley concurs.

“So whatever floats the guy's boat, that's what they look like?” Dean asks.

“Yeah. You see, sirens can read minds. They see what you want most and then they can kinda, like, cloak themselves. You know, like an illusion.” Sam elaborates.

“So it could be the same girl.” Chase states.

“Yeah, actually. Probably. Sirens are usually pretty solitary.”

“How do we kill her?” Harley asks.

“Bobby's working on it. Even if we figure that out…”

“How the hell are we gonna find it? It could be anybody,” Dean wonders.

“If a girl suddenly shows up and she’s exactly your type, shoot first, ask questions later,” Chase says.

***

Chase and Harley sit at their respective beds, each surrounded by piles of books, some lore, some mythology, and some just random printed out conspiracy pages from the internet.

“I’m finding jack shit about sirens. The best I’m getting is shit I already fucking know from my greek mythology phase from middle school!” Chase says, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation before flopping backwards onto her bed, groaning overdramatically. As one does.

“Same! Nothing about how to kill a bitch,” Harley says, mimicking her friend, “Why can’t we catch a break every once in a while?”

“We’re the Winchesters. We’re never going to catch a break.”

“Not a Winchester,” Harley reminds before throwing a pillow at Chase.

The pillow hits Chase in the face unceremoniously, before she moves to hug it in her arms, an impish smile adorning her face. “Yet.”

“I’m also not the marrying type.”

“Fair, but you may change your mind. And even if you don’t, I say just legally change your name to Winchester. Might as well at this point.”

“Not happening. I like being a Pawlak.”

“Okay, okay, okay. I’ll drop it. For now.” Chase grabs her phone as it dings, seeing a message from Sam pop up. “Sam’s headed to the boys’ room now. He said to meet him.”

“Fiiiine! I’ll get up,” Harley groans, while rising like a cheesy vampire in a cheesy movie.

Chase also groans, but more like an eighty year old stuck in a twenty seven year old body. “Hopefully they’ve got some better fucking ideas on how to kill this cunt than us or we’re doomed.”

The girls head over to the boys’ room not bothering to knock.

“Lenny Bristol was definitely another siren vic,” Sam says when he sees the girls enter.

“So you got in to see him then?” Harley asks.

“Yep. He brought home a stripper named Belle. Couple hours later he offed his mother. Belle, of course, went MIA.”

“Wait. Belle?”

“Yes?” Sam says, looking at Chase confused. “Did you meet her at the strip club or something?”

“No, I didn’t. But does anyone else see a pattern here?”

“Disney princesses,” Harley nods. “We got a sexy psycho wannabe princess on our hands.”

“Love that,” Chase responds sarcastically.

“Wait, he killed his mom?” Dean asks, getting stuck on a very different part of Sam’s previous statement.

“The woman he was closest to,” Sam answers matter-of-factly.

Sam’s phone starts to ring, but it’s in Dean’s hand. Dean tosses it to Sam with an annoyed look on his face.

“You, uh, forgot your phone.”

Sam answers the phone, casting a worried look to his brother. “Hey, Bobby.” A moment passes. “Ah, no, And it doesn’t seem she’s slowing down any. You got anything?” Another moment. “Hold on a sec, lemme put you on speaker.”

Sam puts the phone on speaker and the other three gather around, keen on the news Bobby has.

“It says you need ‘a bronze dagger, covered in the blood of a sailor, under the spell of the song’.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Dean asks.

“You got me,” Bobby responds. “We’re dealing with three thousand years of the telephone game here.”

“Are you boys stupid, or just dumb?” Chase asks. “It’s kinda straight forward.”

“Oh, yeah? How so.”

“Look, it’s obvious that it means the current victim under the siren’s spell or song is who we need. We need his blood, coat a bronze dagger with it, then we can kill a bitch.”

Harley points to Chase in agreement, “That, oxytocin and bronze will kill it, it’s simple really. Maybe being oblivious on how to kill a siren is a guy thing?” Harley ponders.

“Or maybe it’s just them. They really are hopeless without us.”

“Yeah, but even Bobby couldn’t put two and two together.”

Bobby scoffs at this, his voice crackling through the speaker. “Well, the siren's spell ain't got nothing to do with any song. It's most likely some kind of toxin or venom. Something she gets in the vic's blood.”

“And makes them go all Manchurian Candidate. Uh, what do you think, she infects the men during sex?” Sam asks.

“No, Sam, she shoots em up like it’s heroin.”

“Could be another bodily fluid though. I mean she’s a stripper, not an escort,” Harley points out.

“Ew,” Chase responds.

“Supernatural STD,” Dean laughs.

“Well, however it happens, once it's done the siren's gotta watch her back. She gets a dose of her own medicine.”

“It kills her,” Sam says plainly.

“Hopefully.”

“Like a snake getting iced by its own venom.”

“So we just gotta find a way to juice one of the OJs in jail?” Dean asks.

“They’ve come to they’re senses, their oxytocin levels are probably normal by now.” Harley disagrees

“Haven't got a clue where you're going to get the blood you need,” Bobby agrees with Harley.

“I think I might have an idea,” Sam says somewhat confidently.

“Be careful. These things are tricky bitches. Wrap you up in knots before you know what hit ya.”

“Don’t worry Bobby, we’ll keep the boys safe,” Harley says happily.

***

“Doctor Roberts.” Sam acknowledges as he, Dean, and Harley enter her office. Chase had gone to search for a bronze dagger.

“Agent Stiles. Can't stay away, huh?” Cara smirks back at Sam.

“Actually we’re here on business. Do you still have the blood samples with the oxytocin in them?” Harley interrupts.

“Mmhmm,”Cara confirms.

“Good, we need them,” Dean says.

“What for?”

A tall man with brown hair approached them, “Excuse me, Doctor Roberts?” The man asks.

“Yeah?”

Dean flashes his badge at the man, “Excuse me, uh, we're a little busy here, buddy.”

The man flashes his own badge, “Yeah, so am I, pal.”

“Doc, can you give us a sec, please?” Sam asks.

Cara backs away slowly, “Sure.”

“Thanks.”

“What’s your name?” Dean asks the actual agent.

“Florian Munroe. What's yours?”

“Special Agent Harley Argent,” Harley smiles, shaking Florian’s hand. “The tall one is Special Agent Sam Stiles, and the rude one is our partner Special Agent Dean Murdoch.”

“I’m not rude,” Dean huffs.

“You were being rude to Agent Munroe just a minute ago,” Harley quickly says to Dean before addressing Munroe again, “So sorry about that. So tell me, Agent Munroe, what office are you from?”

“Omaha, Violent Crimes Unit. My SAC sent me down here to see about the murders.”

“We’re D.C., our Assistant Director assigned us.”

“Oh? Which AD?”

“Mike Kaiser.”

“What’s your badge number?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Dean asks, offended.

“I’m just following protocol,” Monroe defends.

“57882952,” Harley smiles. She waits a moment for the boys to step up.

“57862967,” Sam adds on looking at Dean expectantly.

“Uh… 5792...35..69,” Dean says slowly, thinking about it way too hard.

“What’s your badge number?” Harley asks Munroe expectantly.

“52567924.”

“Well, we’re all nice and real aren’t we?” Harley laughs.

“Where are you at with this?”

“Where are you at with this?” Dean asks, eyes narrowed.

“Well, I was just about to run the, uh, perps' bloodwork.”

“Dead end,” Sam cuts in.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“But get this. I feel like I found something that, uh, connects all the murderers.”

“Really?”

Munroe nods, “They were all banging strippers....from the same club.”

“You don’t say!” Dean says sarcastically.

“What do you say we, uh, go down there and check it out?”

“Well, here's the thing, Florian. See, we're kinda lone wolves.”

“You know what, that sounds like an excellent idea. Just... just give me a second with my partners and we'll, uh...one sec,” Sam says pulling Dean and Harley aside. “Dude, you gotta stay with him.”

“What?” Dean asks.

“Keep him out of the way.”

“Why me?”

“Because the Doc has got the hots for Sam,” Harley explains, “It’s painfully obvious. Look, I'll go with you. I trust Sam not to walk into a trap more than I do you.”

“Well what the hell are we supposed to do with him? Also, ouch!”

“Just take him to the strip club...keep an eye out for the siren. Come on, Dean, just... just focus on the naked girls. You'll forget he's even there!” Sam pleads.

“I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for the girls; and because last time I went to a strip club with Harley I got a lap dance.”

“Well, you aren’t getting another one,” Harley adds pointedly.

***

Chase huffs, walking into the sixth pawn shop, just wanting to get one measly knife.

“Seriously!” She exclaims quietly to herself as the bell dings upon entering. “How hard is it to find a fucking bronze dagger? It’s not even a sturdy metal!”

“Looking for anything, miss?” The pawnbroker asks her.

She spins on her heel, sighing. “You wouldn’t happen to have any daggers, do you? I need one for a, uh, school project. Greek mythology.”

“Gold, silver? Anything in particular? We’ve got quite an assortment.” He leads her over to a case full of all the daggers one could possibly want.

“Got any bronze?”

“Actually we do! A couple here. This one has a nice steel handle and this one has a very intricate pattern carved into the blade. Any meet your fancy?”

“I’ll take both.” Chase says, eyeing a particularly pretty bone handled blade set with obviously fake jewels. Obvious to her anyways. “I’ll take that one too. Simply because it’s pretty. How much will that be?”

The man looks at her skeptically. “All three will run you pretty high. Are you sure?”

“Name your price,” she answers simply.

“146 plus tax.”

Chase whistles. “That’s fine. You accept cash?”

The man nods, trying to keep the confused look off his face as Chase digs through her backpack for her wallet, moving an iridescent serrated hunting knife out of the way.

She hands over two crisp hundreds and starts to walk away. “Keep the change.”

Chase gets into Jack and begins to drive before swearing. She picks up the phone and dials her best friend's number.

“Hey.”

“Hey, where am I meeting you guys? I got two daggers and another one just ‘cause.”

“I didn’t think about it. Just meet us at the motel room?”

“Yeah that makes sense. So Dean’s off with Florian right now, right? And Sam’s probably banging that doctor. What’re you up to?”

“I’m stuck making sure Dean doesn’t end up screwing a stripper.”

“Nah. He wouldn’t want to make you that jealous after such a generous lap dance you gave him.”

“Um, not jealous. I just don’t trust him to not fall into a trap.”

“Fair enough. Anyway, I’ll head back and meet Sam at the motel. Shoot me a text when you’re on your way back.”

“Kay see you soon.”

Chase hangs up and finishes the drive. Back at the motel, Chase walks into the boys’ room to find a sulking Sam.

“What’s up, Sammy? Hot doctor not want to bang?”

Sam rolls his eyes. “No. Dean’s just pissed at me now and thinks Cara is the siren. And I threw my phone at the wall.” Sam points to his phone, lying across the room.

“Well. Feel like killing anyone yet?”

Sam gives Chase a pointed look.

She holds her hands up in defense. “Sorry, too soon?”

The look stays.

Chase sighs. “It's okay, Sam. I don’t think Cara is the siren either. She seems perfectly normal. However, Florian gives me weird vibes. Wait. Shit.”

Chase grabs her phone and starts texting.

Sam looks at her confused. “Who are you texting?”

“Harley. I just realized something.”

“Realized what?”

“There was a pattern with the stripper names. They were all Disney princesses. Does Florian sound familiar to you?”

“Should it?”

“Florian is the name of Snow White’s prince. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“You think Florian is the siren?”

“I think we should at least keep an eye on him.”

***

Harley sits up in the backseat when Florian slides into the passenger’s.

“She went in just a second ago,” Florian reports.

“Nice work,” Dean commends.

“Should we follow her in?”

“Nah let’s wait and see who she comes back out with,” Harley pipes up.

“So you think... what? She's drugging these guys?”

“In a way yeah.”

“Uh-huh?”

“I know how it sounds,” Dean adds.

“You sure about that? 'Cause it sounds like crazy on toast. All these different strippers, they're magically the same girl? But then they're not strippers at all, it's Dr Quinn.”

Harley’s brain stops working for a minute trying to understand Munroe’s reference.

“It's kinda hard to explain, but I have my reasons and they're good ones, so you're just gonna have to trust me on 'em,” Dean somewhat explains.

“Yeah okay. I guess.”

Harley’s phone starts playing ‘Cherry Pie’ by Warrant which pulls her out of her stupor still not understanding how Cara and Harley Quinn are in any way similar. She checks her texts as Dean and Florian take turns drinking out of Dean’s flask.

“Shit!” Harley yells looking up to see Dean taking another sip out of said flask; she tries to stop him, but begins moving too late.

“What?” Dean asks, confused.

“Florian is a Disney prince’s name and we haven’t ruled out saliva as a potential way to get infected.”

“But I didn’t get with some stripper at The Honey Wagon?”

“He realised we’re hunters, you idiot! God how could I be so stupid!”

“I was right then, you are hunters. Unfortunately I can’t do anything to you Harley. Dean on the other hand I have wrapped around my finger.” Florian muses.

“I will gut you,” Harley practically hisses.

“I should be your little brother. Sam. You can't trust him. Not like you can trust me. In fact, I really feel like you should get him outta the way, so we can be brothers. Forever.”

Dean begins to drive back to the motel.

***

When they get to the motel room, Dean gets out of the car and roughly grabs Harley by the arm, under Florian’s instruction. They lead her to her room and tie her to her bed post.

Dean looks around for a weapon, easily locating a silver knife under Harley’s pillow.

“Dean, come on, let’s talk about this.”

“It’s not him you should be pleading with,” Florian reminds, “Kill her.”

Harley screams hoping against hope that someone hears her. As Dean draws nearer, pressing the knife gently against her skin, but hard enough to draw blood, Sam and Chase enter the room, guns drawn.

They quickly assess the situation. “So you are the siren,” Sam says.

“Man, I just gotta say, you are one ugly ass stripper,” Chase says.

“Maybe, but I got what I want. I got Dean.”

With a gesture of his head, Florian directs Dean to grab Sam. Dean holds up a knife to his neck, almost cutting him.

“Dean, this isn’t you,” Chase says, inching slowly towards Harley in hopes to untie her.

“You can fight this,” Sam continues.

“Why don’t you cut him. Just a little. On his neck. Right there.”

Dean cuts into Sam’s neck, drawing blood.

“Dean’s all mine.”

“You poisoned him.”

“No. I gave him what he needed. And it wasn't some bitch in a G-string. It was you. A little brother that looked up to him, that he could trust. And now he loves me. He'd do anything for me. And I gotta tell you, Sam, that kind of devotion? I mean, watching someone kill for you? It's the best feeling in the world.”

“Is that why you’re slutting all over town?”

“Ahh. I get bored, like we all do. And I wanna fall in love again. And again...and again.”

“I'll tell you what. I have fought some nasty sons of bitches, but you are one needy, pathetic loser.”

“You won’t feel that way for very long.”

Florian goes to poison Sam, but Chase knocks him out of the way, cutting into Dean’s shoulder. He winces, stumbling back in pain.

“Sam!” Chase yells, tossing the dagger to him as Florian grabs ahold of her hair.

“You’ve really got to stop getting in my way.” He spins her around to face Dean. “Take care of her.”

Dean holds the knife up as Chase is shoved towards him. Just as he is about to plunge the blade into his younger sister, he stops short.

“I don’t think so,” Sam says. Everyone turns to him, and sees him standing behind Florian, his dagger buried to the hilt in Florian’s chest. Florian looks down in shock.

He crumples to the ground, lying still, blood pooling around his body.

Dean slowly lowers the knife and grabs Chase by the arms, pulling her into a hug, muttering apologies into her hair as she reassures him that she’s fine.

Sam unties Harley and they all take a moment to catch their breath, luckily escaping another narrow encounter with death.

***

“So did you and Sam hear me scream?” Harley asks as they drive down the highway.

“No, actually. I could just tell something was wrong. Like my Harley senses were tingling.”

Harley begins to laugh, shaking her head at Chase, who immediately gets defensive.

“What?” Chase asks. “Is that the wrong thing to say?”

“No, it’s just- you’re just- your spidey senses were tingling.”

“Exactly!”

“Okay, Chase. Okay,” Harley responds, trying to reign in her laughter.

0 notes

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

After School Special

“So?” Dean asks.

Sam shrugs. “I think she's telling the truth. I mean, the way she talked about being there mentally but not physically -- kind of sounds like demonic possession to me.”

“Kind of?” Chase asks. “How is it kind of a demon possession?”

“She didn't see any black smoke or smell sulfur,” Sam explains.

“Maybe it's not a demon. I mean, kids can be vicious,” Dean says.

“Yeah, they’re terrifying,” Harley says.

“You were one of those terrifying ones, Harley,” Chase laughs. “I’ve heard the stories.”

“Well, I mean, we're already here. Might as well check out the school,” Sam suggests.

“Right, the school,” Dean says shortly.

“What?” Sam asks.

“Truman High, home of the Bombers,” Dean says with distaste.

“What’s your point?” Chase asks.

“I mean, we went there, like... for a month a million years ago. Why are you so jazzed to go back?” Dean asks.

“We were only there for a month, so why are you so opposed?” Chase asks.

“Because it’s school and we have a connection to it. Why should I want to go back?”

“It’s worth looking into,” Sam points out.

“All right, well, what's our cover? FBI? Homeland Security? Swedish exchange students?” Dean asks.

“Yes, Dean, because you, a thirty year old grown ass man, can pass as a high school student. From Sweden.”

“Do you even know Swedish?” Harley asks.

“Don’t worry,” Sam says. “I have an idea.”

“That’s worrisome,” Chase says.

“How?” Sam asks defensively.

“Because it’s you. And I don’t trust either of you,” Chase says, pointing at the boys.

“Do you trust me?” Harley asks.

Chase regards her with a cautious look. “Only on Tuesdays.”

“So, Sammy, what’s this idea of yours?” Harley asks.

Sam shoots Harley an annoyed look. “It’s Sam. You know it’s Sam.” He shakes his head. “Whatever. So, get this.”

***

The Impala drives up in front of a large school, Truman High School boldly proclaimed on the building’s entrance. Dean, Chase, and Sam climb out of the back, backpacks tugged around shoulders, wary looks on their faces.

“Thanks, Dad,” Dean says, taking lead and walking in front of the younger Winchesters. “You two got your books?” Dean asks them. “Lunch? Butterfly knife?”

“Yeah, Dean,” Sam says, rolling his eyes.

“You two are being quiet. You okay?”

“Sure,” Sam says at the same time Chase answers, “Better than your face.”

“My face is beautiful, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Seriously, you okay?”

“Sure,” Sam repeats with emphasis.

“Sammy…” Dean starts.

“I mean, look, this is the third school we've been to this year, and it's only November. I'm just sick of always being the new kid.”

“It does kind of suck,” Chase agrees. “I’m never able to make friends. No one wants to be friends with the freak who doesn’t know how to keep quiet, and if they do, I can’t keep contact with them longer than a couple weeks.”

“Who needs friends when you have us?” Dean smirks.

“You’re boys. I can’t exactly talk to you about all my problems, Dean.”

“And people pick on me!” Sam exclaims.

“You'll be fine. If anyone gives you any trouble, you let me know. Relax. Dad said this hunt will take him two weeks, tops. As soon as he gets back, we're out of here.”

“To another school. Awesome,” Sam says, tugging his backpack tighter to his body.

Once separating from her brothers as they each go to their individual classes, Chase finds herself alone in front of the classroom, twenty pairs of eyes staring her down. Judging her. Inspecting her.

God, she hates teenagers.

“Is there anything you want to tell us about yourself, Char-”

“Chase. My name is Chase Winchester. Please address me as such.”

“Of course,” the teacher hesitates, unused to being talked to by students like that, but she continues quickly. “Well, go on and tell us three facts about yourself.”

Chase turns to the class, a half smile on her face. “Hi! I’m Chase. I like learning but hate school, love cats, and fighting.”

“What kind of fighting?” A boy in the back of the class asks.

Chase looks to the teacher out of the corner of her eye, only to be encouraged by a wide smile.

“Y’know,” Chase mumbles, suddenly shy. “Like fist fighting and shooting and stuff.”

“Shooting? Like guns?”

‘Great, Chase, go ahead and label yourself the freak. Why didn’t you say something normal?’

“Uh,” Chase stalls for time. “Yeah? My dad takes me and my brothers to the shooting range.”

“That’s great, Chase! Go ahead and take your seat.”

Chase does so quickly, face slightly red from embarrassment, and pulls out a notebook, hastily busying herself so she can avoid questions and eye contact.

***

Harley’s students enter the class room. “Hello everyone, I’m Ms. Wyllt. Today we will be joined by Ms. Scourie and her 3rd period Creative Writing class. You’ll be grouped together in fours, and yes, you can choose your partners.”

A wave of excitement rushed through the class. “You’ll be writing your own unique scenes and acting them out! This project will be due two weeks from now.”

A knock comes from the classroom door, and Harley goes to open it revealing Chase and her class. Everyone enters the theatre room and Chase and Harley go off on their own.

“We’re like the best teachers ever,” Harley says, seeing best friends pair up immediately.

“We are,” Chase agrees.

***

High school was an interesting place for Harley. It was simultaneously the worst and best years of her life. She was depressed and suspended from school, but she found someone who she would give anything, just for her to be happy. She found a daughter. The light of her life and her best friend in the universe.

She found a wonderful friend group who she would die for. Discovered music and made many a memory. At this specific moment she was remembering staying the night at Adina’s.

They were in her basement, Adina was giving Harley a stick and poke of a treble clef.

“Does that hurt?” Adina asks.

“Honestly, this is the most relaxed I’ve ever been. Maybe it’s the sauna, maybe it’s being out of the house, or maybe it’s you. I don’t really care, I might fall asleep before you finish,” Harley responds.

Adina laughs.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I’m adopting you. You are now my child,” Harley says mostly serious with a hint of joking.

“Okay?”

“I’m serious, you are the light of my life and you make being alive worth it.”

“Aww, thanks!”

“Any time.”

***

Winchesters and Co. sat in the teacher’s lounge eating sloppy joes.

“So, Harley and I are the best teachers.”

“Why, what’d you do?” Dean asks, mouth full.

“Dean, really?” Chase asks. “You’re a pig.”

“Sounds like one at night too,” Sam laughs.

“I mean not really,” Harley defends.

“Yeah!” Dean exclaims. “It’s Chase that’s bad!”

“I’m not that bad!”

“None of you are bad or I’ve just gone deaf?” Harley says unsure.

“Deaf. Definitely deaf,” Sam says. “These two are both awful.”

Chase sticks her tongue out at her younger brother.

“So, Sam, did you find any sulfur?” Harley asks.

“I've been over the entire school twice. No sulfur,” Sam answers.

“No sulfur, no demon. No demon, no case,” Dean states.

“I don't know. Maybe I was wrong.”

“Well, it happens to the best of us. I say we hit the road, huh?”

“Fine by me,” Harley adds.

***

“How’s the nonviolence school assembly going?” Sam asks, as though joking.

Chase smacks his arm.

“What?” Sam asks. “Too soon?”

“Yes, Sam. Too soon.”

“Apparently, shoving a kid's arm into a Cuisinart is not a ‘healthy display of anger.’ So, the kid had ectoplasm leaking out his ear?” Dean asks.

“Which only comes from a really pissed off ghost,” Chase says.

“It’s got to be ghost possession,” Harley concludes.

“Yeah, but that’s pretty rare,” Dean hesitates.

“Yeah, but it happens. I mean, they get angry enough, they can take control of a person's body,” Sam says.

“Alright, so what, we got a ghost in the building?” Dean asks.

“Yeah, but where? I mean, there's no EMF. Maybe we could find out who it is, at least. You know, check and see if somebody died bloody around here or something.”

“Way ahead of you. I had to break into the principal's office to get this. Oh, and FYI, three of the cheerleaders are legal. Guess which ones,” Dean smirks, pulling a paper out of his pocket.

“No,” Sam deadpans.

“Oh!” Chase exclaims. “Is the cute black haired one with the hazel-y green eyes?”

“Yes,” Dean smiles, giving Chase a high five.

“Knew it.”

“I love you,” Harley laughs.

“Why thank you,” Chase and Dean chorus. They turn to each other. “She was talking to me! No, she wasn’t. Yes, she was!” They turn back to Harley. “Harley?”

“I love when y’all talk at the same time.”

“That doesn’t answer our question,” They both say. They turn to each other again, but say nothing, opting to stick their tongues out at each other instead.

“Are you sure I’m the youngest?” Sam sighs.

“Pretty sure, Sammy,” Dean says.

“Moving on,” Sam replies.

“So, there was only one death on campus. It was a suicide back in '98. Some kid named Barry Cook,” Dean notices Sam’s face fall, “What?”

“I knew him. How did he die?”

“He slit his wrists in the first-floor girls' bathroom.”

Harley swats Dean on the arm, “Even I have more tact.”

“And that’s saying something,” Chase mentions.

“Right where the chick got swirly-ed to death, exactly. So, what? This ghost is possessing nerds?”

“And using them to go after bullies,” Harley adds.

“Well, is that something Barry would do?” Chase asks.

“Barry had a hard time,” Sam says.

“Didn’t we all?” Chase asks.

***

Chase walks down the hallway, shooting a smile at her brother, Sam, who is walking with a boy his age. He waves back to her. ‘At least he made a friend,’ she thinks to herself.

Unlike her at that moment. Ever since her slip up in her first period, all of the girls avoided her, and the boys only talked to her if they wanted to make fun of her. Well, for the most part.

“So, are you sure you don’t want to go out sometime?” a boy in her science class, (Lucas?) asks her.

“For the last time, no. I’m not interested,” Chase says, opening her locker and putting her books away. She grabs her textbooks for the next class, pointedly ignoring Lucas (Definitely Lucas, Chase thinks).

Lucas grabs her wrist, pulling her towards him. “C’mon, one date.”

“I said no. You have one second to let go of me.”

“Not until you say yes.”

“One,” Chase says. Lucas has enough time to narrow his eyes in confusion before Chase’s fist meets his face.

***

“You punched him?” The vice principal asks.

“Yes,” Chase responds, not missing a single beat.

“And you say the only thing he had been doing was holding your wrist? Because he wanted to get your attention?” He looks down at the written report of the situation, which both students had to write.

“No,” Chase says, confused. “He wasn’t just holding my wrist. He was touching me without my consent. And he had my attention. He just didn’t like my answer.”

“You could have pulled away.”

“I tried to, but-”

“I’m sorry, Miss Winchester, but violence is not the response to unwanted attention. I know you’re new here, but this is your only warning. If something like this happens again, you’ll be suspended. For right now, however, you have detention everyday for two weeks and you have to have your guardian sign this copy of the report.”

“But this report says I punched him, but doesn’t say what he did.”

“Because what he did was not enough to warrant a report. What you did was.”

“Bullshit.”

“Language. Last warning. Suspension is on the line. Now, go.”

***

“Hey,” Harley greets her mom.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“You got suspended.”

“That’s bullshit. I’m suicidal, that’s not exactly against the rules.”

“You did mention jumping down the stairwell.”

“I know, but it might not kill me. I want to know I won’t come back.”

“Claire,” Harley’s mom sighs.

“I just want to be done. I’m so tired of living.”

“I know.”

“What’s wrong with me? I have so little empathy. Or sympathy? Whichever one it is. And the voices never shut up always, always, always telling me to kill, kill, kill. And I want to. I want to hurt people. To see them scream. I want to watch the light leave their eyes and hear that final breath escape. I want to feel the warmth of their blood across my skin.”

“They’re just thoughts, Claire.”

“They’re not though. They’re voices and feelings. They’re primal urges that I have so much trouble controlling. They’re proof I’m a monster.”

“You aren’t a monster.”

“Then why do you insist on me eating raw steak instead of buying me blood?”

“Because drinking blood is evil.”

“But I need to do it to survive. So doesn’t that make me evil?”

“No.”

***

The four hunters, each pair in their own vehicle, drive to the graveyard where they know the remains of Barry Cook lie. The air is thick with tension in the Impala, while the girls don’t think much of the situation.

“So, after this, you want to get pie?” Chase asks.

“Umm… Duh?” Harley answers.

“Do you want to invite the boys or do you want to avoid Dean still?”

“I think Dean and I are fine, I mean he hasn’t said anything since we talked it over.”

“That’s good. I was about to suggest couple’s therapy.”

“We aren’t a couple.”

“Close enough,” Chase waves her hand, shrugging. “Anyway, we’re almost there. I don’t know about you, but I don't want to dig up a grave. How do we get the boys to do it for us?”

“Rock, paper, scissors?”

“Coin toss?” Chase pauses. “No, I like rock, paper, scissors. I always know how to win against Sam. He always does rock.”

“And Dean always chooses scissors.”

***

Sam and Dean dig where the grave of Barry Cook is, while the girls watch in mild amusement.

“Why did we agree to this?” Dean asks.

“I didn’t,” Sam says.

“Less talking, more digging, boys,” Chase calls to them. They both turn to look at her with a bitch face, before turning back to the dirt. Suddenly, two shovel-fulls of dirt fly through the air to land on Chase, most of it getting in her hair. “You bastards!” she swears, spitting dirt out of her mouth.

“Less talking, more digging,” Dean says.

“And we’re digging,” Sam finishes.

Eventually, after about an hour, there’s a loud clunk as a shovel hits the hard wood of a coffin.

“Okay, our turn,” Harley says, nudging Chase forward. Chase grins and takes a matchbox out of her pocket.

“That smile means we should definitely never trust you with fire,” Dean says as the boys climb out of the hole.

“Oh well,” Chase shrugs.

Harley pours salt and gasoline on the remains, while Chase lights a match, her grin growing in width.

Dropping the match, Chase and Harley step back as flames leap into the air. The smell of charred bones and flesh and gasoline looms over them as the four hunters walk away from the scene. Going back into their individual cars, the group is quiet.

***

Jack and Baby were parked on a hill a little ways away from a bridge. Sam is shirtless because Harley is sewing up the stab wound he sustained from a girl possessed by the ghost.

“Only you are nerd enough to get stabbed by a compass,” Chase scoffs.

“Compass? Compasses can’t do that,” Dean says.

“A math compass, Dean. As in, an instrument to draw circles.”

Dean pointedly ignores Chase. “Here, this will make you feel better,” he says. Sam nods, taking the beer. “That ghost is dead!” Dean practically growls. “I’m gonna rip it’s lungs out. Well,” he pauses. “You know what I mean.”

“You do realize the most we can do is put it to rest,” Harley points out continuing her work.

“It knew my name, guys. My real name. We burned Barry’s bones. What the hell?” Sam says.

“Maybe we missed something. We could have been wrong about Barry,” Chase says. “We just got to go back.”

Dean, looking through paperwork, suddenly gasps. “No way, how did we not see this before?”

“See what?” Harley asks.

“Check it out -- Look, Martha Dumptruck, Revenge of the Nerds, and Hello Kitty -- they rode the same bus.”

“Okay, so maybe the bus is haunted,” Sam suggests.

“Well, that would explain why there's no EMF at the school, but not the attacks. I mean, ghosts are tied to the places that they haunt. They can't just bail.”

“Actually,” Chase starts.

“Actually,” Dean mimics in a high pitched voice. No one laughs. Chase gives him a look, unamused. Dean sighs, “Continue.”

“Actually,” Chase says again, emphasizing the word and shooting Dean another look, “there's lore about spirits possessing people and riding them for miles, then whenever they leave the body, they're bungeed back to their usual haunt. But until then, the ghosts can go wherever they want.”

“So a spook just grabs a kid on the bus and walks right into Truman?” Dean asks, not convinced.

“Well, yeah,” Chase says.

“Ghosts getting creative -- well, that's super,” Dean says sarcastically.

“Sounds possible,” Harley says, agreeing with Sam and Chase.

“You’re supposed to be on my side!” Dean pouts.

“I’m on my side,” Harley says, sticking her tongue out at him.

***

“Do you see anything?” Chase calls to the boys, who are inside the bus.

“It’s definitely not clean,” Sam responds.

“Here, ghosty, ghosty, ghosty! Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Dean calls.

“Yes, Dean, because saying ‘Here, ghosty, ghosty’ is sure to make it appear. Maybe it’s Casper the friendly ghost!” Chase says in a heavily sarcastic tone.

“Or the Boo Brothers,” Harley adds.

“Got anything better?” Dean asks, before adding, “Nice one,” at the end of his statement.

“Man, I don't get it. No one ever died on this bus, and it's not like there's a body hidden in here,” Sam says.

“Or is there?” Chase asks ominously.

“Yeah, but a flap of skin, a hair, I mean, hell, a hangnail -- something's got to be tying the ghost to this place. We just got to find it.”

“I really hope it’s not a hangnail,” Harley says.

“I dunno,” Chase says. “Hangnail’s better than a ‘flap of skin’.”

“I’d rather deal with the skin, thank you very much.”

“Got a new driving permit. Issued two weeks ago,” Dean says from the front of the school bus. The girls go over and peer at the papers in Dean’s hand.

“Isn’t that just before the first attack?” Chase asks.

“Yeah,” Dean says. “Name of the bus driver is Dirk McGregor Sr., 39 North Central Avenue.”

“McGregor?” Sam asks.

“Yeah, why?”

“I knew his son.”

“Did you know everybody at this school?” Dean asks.

“How’d you remember his name?” Chase asks incredulously.

“And his last name, at that,” Harley adds.

“Just because your guys’ attention span is that of a gnat and your memory like a goldfish, doesn’t mean I can’t remember things.” He pauses. “Besides, do you not remember anyone you went to school with?”

***

Harley spent her Valentine’s Day junior year watering a bouquet of purple roses from every water fountain she could find. Everyone wanted to know where she got them and every time she had the same response, “They’re for Julia.”

She was careful and tore off every faulty petal in order to make sure the bouquet was perfect. It was at the end of the day when she finally could give Julia her gifts. One of which was a card asking her to be Harley’s girlfriend.

“Hey,” Julia says.

“Hey,” Harley responds.

“I adore the card.”

“I’m glad. So what’s your answer?”

“I really don’t want you to feel like I’m stringing you along, I’m moving in four months, back to Washington. I just don’t want to get attached and hurt you.”

“It’s fine, I might move too, but who’s to say we can’t make the most of the time we have here?”

“I just don’t want to waste time on something if I know it has a deadline. You know? I still wanna be friends.”

“Yeah, I guess, do you mind if I take a day or two though?”

“Take your time. I’m here though.”

“Thank you,” Harley says before leaving as her heart silently breaks.

***

“So that’s it then,” Chase says, disbelief written on her face.

“Well, yeah,” Nathaniel says.

“You’re just done. With us. With everything?” Chase’s voice is drenched in desperation, as though if she argued her way through it, he’d change his mind.

“There isn’t anything there anymore.” Nathaniel’s face is like stone- like always. His blue eyes guarded, mouth in a thin line.

“Well, you could’ve fucking told me that in the beginning instead of leading me on!”

“I never led you on!” Nathaniel says, finally showing some semblance of an emotion, causing a surge of pride in Chase’s chest. Not many people were ever able to get under his skin, let alone in a way for him to care enough to defend himself.

“Then what do you call two days ago? Saying you liked me. Spouting that bull about talking to my dad and brothers!”

“I just decided that this isn’t working out.”

“Decided,” Chase repeats. “Decided? You don’t just decide these things, Nathaniel. They’re emotions! You can’t just flip off your emotions like a switch!”

“I didn’t. I’ve felt like this for a while.”

“Oh, so we’re backtracking to the leading me on part, are we?”

Nathaniel groans, running a hand through his hair.

“No, you don’t get to be frustrated. You’re the one that promised you’d be there. You’re the one that promised you wouldn’t leave. You said nothing I said or did could make you leave, so what the hell? What do you call this?”

“I call this deciding it’s not working out!”

“Fuck you, Nathaniel. You’re a poor, pathetic, useless, spineless, son of a bitch! Everyone who ever said you weren’t worth it, were right! You weren’t! I thought you were different, but whoops. Guess the joke’s on me, huh?” Chase turns to leave.

“You don’t get to have the last word in this.”

Chase turns back to look at Nathaniel over her shoulder, tears falling down her face. “You knew full well. No, you know full well that I am in love with you. That all I wanted was for you to be happy, and for you to be in my life. I didn’t start this romance shit. You did. So, if this is the end of so much time, so much fucking time and effort, of my life I spent fighting with you, hating you, loving you, and being on and off friends with you, then know this. You’re ending this. You’re the reason this got fucked up. Not me.”

“You and I both know that this is your fault,” Nathaniel says.

Chase just ignores him and walks away, backpack slung over her shoulder, and her heart on the pavement behind her.

***

The four hunters sit on McGregor’s couch; Chase and Sam on the left side of the couch, while Dean, who has his arm around Harley as they are holding hands, takes up the right alongside Harley.

“So, you were friends with Dirk?” McGregor asks.

“Yes, sir, in high school,” Sam replies.

“I don't recall Dirk having many friends at Truman.”

“When did, uh -- when did Dirk pass?” Dean asks.

“He was eighteen.”

“What happened to him?” Chase asks.

“Well, there was, first, drinking, then drugs, and then too many drugs. And then he just slipped through my fingers. It was my fault. I should have seen it coming, you know? Dirk, he, uh -- he had his troubles.”

“Troubles?” Harley prods.

“School was never easy for Dirk. We didn't have much money, and, well, you know, kids -- they can be cruel. They picked on him.”

“They picked on him?” Sam asks, surprised.

“They called him poor and dirty and stupid. They even had a nickname for him -- Dirk the jerk. And after what happened to his mother, he…” McGregor cuts himself off.

“His mother?” Chase asks.

“Yeah, Jane, my wife. She died when Dirk was 13. Cancer. I was working three jobs, so it fell to Dirk to take care of her. And he was a great kid. He made sure Jane got her medicine. He helped her, cleaned up after her. But, you know, you -- you watch somebody die slow, waste away to nothing... it does things to a person. Horrible things.”

“I didn't know about his mother,” Sam says quietly.

“He -- he wouldn't talk about her, not even to me. Lot of anger in that boy.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Well, we'd really like to pay our respects, Mr. McGregor. Um, you mind telling us where Dirk is buried?” Dean asks.

“Oh, he wasn't. I had him cremated,” McGregor states.

“All of him?”

“Well, I kept a lock of his hair.”

“Oh, that's -- that's nice. Where do you keep that?”

“On my bus, in my Bible.”

***

The brakes squeal loudly as Chase slams on the brakes, swearing. Moving off to the side of the road, the two girls hop out of the car, following quickly behind Sam and Dean. Sam walks up to a man getting out of the bus, while Dean sneaks around the other side of the bus, to be behind the man and anyone getting out.

“Dirk!” Sam yells. The man who’d gotten out of the bus first turns to Sam with a cruel smile on his face.

“Winchester, what are you gonna do? Shoot me?”

Dean sneaks up behind Dirk and wraps a rope around his body, while Harley rushes into the bus. “This rope is soaked in salt water. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Alright, everybody. Stay where you are and everything will be fine,” Harley says.

“Aren’t you the drama teacher?”

“No, not really. More like ‘21 Jump Street’. The bus driver sells pot. Yeah, that’s it.” She starts to shuffle through the front of the bus, looking for the hair. After a moment, she looks up in exasperation. “It’s not here!”

“Where is it?” Sam demands. Dirk simply smirks.

“Nowhere you’ll ever find it.”

Sam, obviously done with the situation, puts the gun directly against Dirk’s chest. Dirk struggles against the rope for a second. “Where is it?”

“Sam Winchester. Still a bully. You, you jocks... you popular kids... you always thought you were better than everybody else. And to you, I was just Dirk the jerk, right? Now you evil sons of bitches are gonna get what's coming to you.”

“I'm not evil, Dirk,” Sam says. “I'm not. And neither were you. Trust me. I've seen real evil. We were scared and miserable, and we took it out on each other -- us and everybody else. That's high school. But you suffer through that, and it gets better. I'm just sorry you didn't get a chance to see that... you or Barry.”

“Nothing is going to get better for me. Never.”

Dirk breaks out of the rope, knocking Dean to the ground easily. Sam shoots him with a salt round and he goes flying. A student, within moments, climbs out of the bus, obviously possessed by Dirk.

Chase rushes over to the passed out bus driver, making sure he’s alive.

Harley tries to shoot at the student, but misses, as the ghost beats Sam up.

“Chase!” Sam calls. “Find the hair!”

Harley takes this moment to check on Dean, who’d been knocked out moments earlier.

Chase pats down the man, trying to find where the hair had been hidden. Finally finding it, she reaches into his pocket and takes it out. “I swear, this isn’t what it looks like,” She mutters to herself, grabbing a lighter. She lights the hair on fire and the Dirk-possessed student screams.

The student slumps forward onto Sam, who struggles beneath the weight of the larger student. Dean laughs from his spot on the ground, next to Harley. He winces, holding his head in pain. “He’s giving you full cowgirl,” Dean laughs.

This breaks the tension and the four hunters begin to breathe normally again, glad to be done with Dirk-the-Jerk.

2 notes · View notes

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Criss Angel Is A Douchebag

On yet another case, the four young hunters find themselves in Sioux City, Iowa. Walking along the street, looking for a hotel, they pass by many people doing acts of sorts, some singing, some dancing, and more than a few doing magic tricks.

Dean and Sam are forced to stop as they realize Chase and Harley had stopped walking behind them a ways back, watching (eyeing more like) a young magician doing a card trick.

Dean rolls his eyes as the two backtrack.

“What’re you doing?”

“Watching,” Chase replies simply.

“The show or the guy?” Dean asks, looking more annoyed by the second.

“Definitely both.”

“Does it matter?” Harley asks, looking at the guy up and down.

“Oh, I recognize him,” Sam says.

“You do?” Dean asks, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

“Yeah. That’s Jeb Dexter.”

“I don’t even want to know how you know that.”

“He’s famous of sorts.”

“Oh, I bet he is,” Harley mumbles.

“Those looks and that style. Surprised I haven’t seen him anywhere yet.”

“Like your dreams?” Dean mocks.

“Shut up, Dean. You’re only jealous you can’t rock guyliner like that.”

“Guyliner?” Dean asks slowly. He rolls his eyes at Jeb, who starts to act as though he’s having a seizure. “What a douchebag.”

“Shut up, Dean.”

“Come on! He’s faking a demon possession. Poorly, might I add.”

“So what? He’s hot!” Harley says.

Jeb, obviously hearing Harley’s comment, smirks as he locks eyes with her, giving her a wink.

“That’s it!” Dean exclaims, grabbing Harley and Chase by their arms and pulling them after him. “We’re leaving.”

As they continue walking, Dean and Harley hardly notice that he’s still holding onto her arm, despite Chase having yanked hers away almost immediately.

“I can’t believe people actually fall for that crap,” Dean says bitterly.

“It’s not all crap,” Sam defends.

“What part of that was not a steaming pile of bullshit?” Dean asks.

“Him. His looks. His hair. His sty-” Chase is cut off by a death stare from her older brother. She simply responds in the most mature way she can think of- sticking her tongue out at him.

“Okay, maybe that was crap, but that’s not all magicians,” Sam continues. “It takes skill.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot! You were into that sort of thing! You had a wand and a card deck.”

“Dude, I was thirteen,” Sam says, a little hushed. “It was a phase.”

“It’s not a phase, mom!” Chase says in a mocking voice. Sam shoots her a look. “Hey, don’t look at me like that! You all know I still have my wizarding robes, wand, and cauldron. So, it’s not like you were the only one with a magic phase, Sammy boy.”

“Just—it bugs me. You know, playing at demons and, and magic, when the real thing will kill you bloody,” Dean explains.

“But that’s the point. People like to get scared because it makes them feel better about real life. And to them, none of our lives are real.”

“Yeah, but it is real life. And it will kill you.”

“Like having ten stab wounds, but no tears in his shirt,” Harley says, reiterating the gist of their case.

“Exactly,” Dean says, looking at her. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

***

Vance’s assistant finishes packing up Vance’s belongings into a bag before turning to the four hunters. Chase and Harley are on their phones looking up Jeb.

“So did your boss have any enemies that you know of?” Dean asks.

“Vance had plenty of enemies.”

“How so?” Sam asks.

“He would steal from other magicians. All the time.”

“What would he steal?”

“Stage effects, closeup techniques, anything he could get his hands on.”

“Is that enough to get him killed?” Dean asks hurriedly, annoyed at the girls.

“These guys take this stuff pretty seriously.”

“Did you find anything weird in Vance's stuff? Well, weirder?”

“Matter of fact, I did.” She pulls a tarot card out of Vance’s suitcase. The ten of swords. “He hated card tricks. Never wanted them around. Let alone in his precious cape.” She hands Sam the tarot card before asking about Chase and Harley, “Are they okay?”

“They’re fawning over some douchebag.” Dean sighs.

***

The four hunters walk into an expansive theater, spotting people with cameras and microphones. Jeb stands over by a far table, talking on his phone. A couple of older men sit at one table, talking amongst themselves.

Dean makes a beeline for the older gentlemen while Chase and Harley wander near Jeb. After flashing their badges, Jeb shoos away his crew.

“Anything I can for you two lovely ladies?”

“Yes, actually. FBI, this is Manson and I’m Agent Franklin. We have some questions for you.”

Jeb raises his eyebrows at Chase but nods for her to continue. “Of course.”

“We’re looking into the death of Patrick Vance. Did you know him?”

Jeb shakes his head. “Know of him, yes. But I haven’t actually seen any of his work.”

“I have to ask, where were you at the time of his murder?” Harley asks.

“I was doing a show. My big show here isn’t until later so I lined up a few gigs before then. That night I was at Rowane’s Bar and Club. Drunk people like magic shows as much as the next guy.”

“Thank you. Do you happen to use tarot cards in any of your acts?” Chase asks.

“Nope. Just regular poker cards.”

“Thanks. Know anyone who does?”

“Not off the top of my head.”

“Well. That’s all. We might have to come back and ask more questions later.”

“If it means seeing you two again. Even if you don’t, look me up. I’m here for a few more days and I’d love to treat you girls to a drink.”

“Or we could get that drink now,” Harley says.

Jeb shoots her a big smile. “That is something I can live with.” He starts to lead the way to the bar. “Follow me.”

Harley and Chase follow him without much caution, waving Dean off when he shoots them a look.

***

“Why water? I thought we were having some fun?” Jeb asks Harley once they ordered their drinks.

“I don’t drink,” Harley shrugs, “Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.”

“That sounds like an invitation.”

“More like a proposal,” Chase says, downing her drink; straight vodka on ice.

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t,” Harley flirts.

“Well, what if I want it to be?”

“Guess you’ll just have to find out,” Chase says, leaning closer to Jeb, who keeps looking back and forth between the two friends. Harley rests her hand on his thigh.

Jeb smirks, raising his hand to brush a piece of hair away from Harley’s face and leans in to kiss her, but gets interrupted by a fist connecting with his face; specifically Dean’s fist.

“What the hell, Dean!” Harley yells.

“What, he touched you?” Dean says genuinely confused.

“Because he was about to kiss me, dumbass.”

“Look, dude, I didn’t know she had a boyfriend,” Jeb says defensively with his hands in the air.

“I don’t, at most we’re makeout buddies.”

Sam and Chase look to each other with smug, shit eating grins on their faces, eyes screaming, “knew it”.

“Really? I thought we were best buddies.” Dean says sarcastically.

“So did I, but apparently not. You constantly flirt with chicks and have one night stands. Let me have this one,” Harley says fuming.

“You can do better than him.”

“Maybe I don’t want to, ever think about that? So shut up and walk away before I make you.”

Dean raises his hands in surrender and goes to sulk in the corner of the room.

“Hmph, that’s what I thought,” Harley turns back to Jeb, “Wanna get out of here and away from that asshole?”

“Yes I do.”

Chase and Sam look from Harley, walking away with Jeb, to Dean, still pouting in the corner. “They are both such idiots,” Chase sighs.

“Yep,” Sam agrees, shaking his head.

***

Sam and Dean approach Chase, who is listening in on a conversation between Vernon and Charlie.

“He's crazy, and you know it,” Vernon says.

“He says he can do it.”

“Did you even try to talk him out of it?”

“Till I was blue in the face. But I tell you, Vernon, there was...there was something in his eyes.”

“'In his eyes'? You're both nuts.”

“The Chief, huh?” Dean says, breaking the conversation up.

“What's the matter? Chief not your type?”

“You know, I could have you both arrested for obstruction of justice.”

“How? You're no Fed.”

“We con people for a living, son. Takes more than a fake badge to get past us.”

The three Winchesters laugh at the comment.

“You got us. Yeah, we—we are actually—aspiring magicians,” Dean says.

Chase gives him a look.

“Yeah, we -- We came to the convention 'cause we thought we could learn something.”

“Yeah, get some ideas for our new show,” Chase says, going shopping with the story.

“Ooh, what kind of show?” Vernon asks.

“Well, it's-- It's a --“ Chase cuts herself off and looks to Sam.

“It's a family act.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you know, with the rings and doves and...rings.”

“You want to learn something? Stick around.”

With this, Jay walks onto stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, what you're about to witness is a feat so daring, So dangerous, even the great Houdini dared not attempt it. I give to you...The executioner!” He announces.

“As you can see, the Jacket is a real article. Thank you,” he says to a worker, who tightens a straight jacket around him. “You may take your seat. Now. I will have one minute to escape certain death. Let's see if I can do it.”

The curtain falls over the stage, showing only a silhouette of Jay. He seems to be struggling quite a bit with the jacket, which adds to the rising tension in the air.

“I don't think he's gonna make it,” Dean says.

“I don’t think I care.”

Sam lightly smacks Chase on the shoulder as she laughs quietly behind her hand.

Seconds pass, the one minute already half over. The crowd watches with bated breath as the minute timer finally stops and Jay is no longer struggling with the jacket, giving the impression he’d failed. Suddenly, Jay pushes aside the curtain, unharmed.

“Oh!” Dean exclaims. “That was amazing! That was fucking amazing!”

“Thought it was all crap,” Chase teases.

“That was...not humanly possible,” Sam says.

The two older siblings cast him worried glances as he clenches his jaw, deep in thought. They jump slightly when Chase’s phone starts to ring.

“Is that Harley?” Dean asks worriedly.

“Yes, now shut up.”

The two boys watch and listen to only one side of the phone call, their expressions growing more confused while Chase listens to Harley lowkey freaking out, horror reflecting in her eyes.

***

The most interesting thing happened during Harley’s post coital nap. A noose came behind Jeb Dexter while he was posing in the mirror and dragged him up to the ceiling fan. It was a quick death as the force of him being pulled up snapped his neck.

Harley stirred, but slept for another 5 minutes before waking up to find Jeb’s body dangling from the ceiling fan. She immediately calls Chase, “Hey, so um we got a problem.”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Chase’s mind goes to a hundred different possibilities, all of them worse than the last. “Are you okay?”

“I am, but um Jeb’s not so lucky. He’s kind of dead.”

“What?” Chase exclaims. Harley can hear Dean and Sam in the background, before a loud “Ow,” presumably from Dean.

“Yeah, he’s hanging from a noose in his hotel room. I don’t really know what to do.”

“Um. Uh, okay, well, does anyone know you’re there?”

“No, but my fingerprints are all over the body.”

“Um, right. That’s an issue. Maybe we should skip town and let the boys deal with the rest of this. How are you going to get away with this? First of all, they’ll question you. While doing that, they’ll realize you aren’t FBI-”

“Questioning her for what?” Harley can hear Sam ask.

“Guys, shut up!” Chase snaps.

“I mean do they have my fingerprints in the database if I’m legally dead?”

“Oh, yeah, that. Sweet, okay, so please - You’re dressed, right?” “I can be.”

“Okay, yeah. Do that, then get your lucky ass down here asap, so that we can fucking not get charged for murder please.”

“Okay see you in a bit.”

***

“What was that about?” Dean demands.

“Um, yeah, Jeb’s dead. But it’s fine!”

“How is that fine?” Sam asks.

“Because Harley is legally dead so she won’t get charged for murder!”

“How does that make Jeb being dead, “fine”?” Sam asks.

“I’m trying to be positive!”

“Not a good look on you,” Dean says.

“Oh shut up, you pile of horse manure.”

“Let’s just get back to the hotel room. I just shot Harley a text. She’s going to meet us there.”

“Okay,” Chase says, ignoring Dean who is still looking at her indignantly for calling him horse shit.

***

“So, I’m never having a one night stand again,” Harley announces as she enters the room.

Dean goes to say something, which Chase assumes is going to be something stupid and hypocritical, so she stops him by smacking her hand on the back of his head. He pouts, turning to glare at her, but she just looks back at Harley, completely unbothered.

“This has to be something to do with Jay, right?” Sam asks.

“Probably. The tarot card of the ten swords found on the guy with ten stab wounds, right after Jay does the table of death,” Chase says.

“Yeah, and now the executioner ends with Jeb hanged,” Dean continues.

“Whatever this is, we have to stop it soon, before we end up dead. Wait, have any of you bothered checking yourselves for tarot cards? I’ve done it several times since Harley called me.”

“Only one I have on me is the one I pulled from Jeb’s pocket.” Harley sighs.

“Well, let’s start with some research on Jay.”

“Sounds good,” Chase says, after smacking Dean once more after he went to make a snide comment to Harley.

***

“So, it turns out Jay was a pretty big deal in the seventies,” Sam says.

“Which in magician land means what exactly?” Dean asks.

“Big enough to play at radio city music hall.”

“What got him stuck in their "where are they now?" File?”

“Looks to me like the only thing is that he got old,” Chase says. “Okay, so maybe incredible Jay is using real magic to stage a comeback,” Harley says.

“It’s possible,” Sam says.

“Could be some kind of spell that works as a death transference?”

“How does the tarot card mix into it?” Dean asks.

“Well, it looks like that’s how he chooses his targets. If they have a tarot card on them, they’ll be the ones to die when the spell takes place,” Chase says.

“Man,” Dean says, “hope I die before I get old. Whole thing seems brutal, don't it?”

“You’re not allowed to die young, Dean,” Chase says.

“Already have.”

“Do you think we will?” Sam asks.

“Will what?” Dean asks. Harley and Chase roll their eyes at his idiocy.

“Die before we get old.”

“Like Dean just said, technically you both already have,” Harley points out.

“You know what I mean. I mean, do you think we'll still be chasing demons when we're 60?”

“I mean, what else is there to do? Crocheting?” Chase laughs.

“Yeah, I don’t see myself settling down,” Harley adds. “And what is better than chasing demons?”

“No, I think we'll be dead,” Dean says,“for good. What? You want to end up like -- Like Travis? Huh?Or Gordon, maybe?”

“There’s Bobby,” Chase says.

“Oh, yeah, there's a poster child for growing old gracefully.”

“Maybe we’ll be different,” Sam says.

"What kind of Kool-Aid you drinking, man? Sammy, it ends bloody or sad. That's just the life,” Dean says.

“And if we could win somehow?” Chase offers.

“Win?” Harley asks.

“If there was a way we could just...put an end to all of it,” Chase explains.

“Is there something you two ain’t telling me?” Dean asks.

“No, just curious, I guess.”

“No,” Sam says.

“Sammy.”

“Look, I'm just saying...I just wish there was a way we could...go after the source. That's all. Cut the head off the snake.”

“Well, the problem with the snake is that it has a thousand heads. Evil bitches just keep piling out of the Volkswagen.”

“Guess you’re right.”

“How about we split up. I’ll see if I can find anything on these tarot cards that confirms Chase’s theory. You find Jay. Chase, you wanna go with me or do you, Harley?” Dean asks, looking hopefully at the latter.

“I’ll go with you,” Chase offers, hoping to spare Harley any unnecessary comments from her brother.

Dean shoots Chase a look before sighing. “Okay, that settles it. Let’s go.”

***

“Why did you sleep with Jeb?” Sam asks, “You never have one night stands.”

“To get back at Dean,” Harley says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“For?”

“Being a hypocrite.”

“You slept with someone out of spite?”

“Yep,” Harley says before adding, “I don’t want to win.”

“Why? We can have normal lives.”

“In case you haven’t noticed I’m not exactly normal. A normal life doesn’t suit me. I need action, excitement, adventure.”

“You could act.”

“I’d rather hunt.”

“People die hunting.”

“People die without it.”

“I guess, but we do need to stop the apocalypse.”

“Yeah, don’t need a toilet paper shortage on our hands.”

***

Dean and Chase stare at the body.

“Told you,” Chase says simply.

“Okay. Okay, you were right. It’s likely transference magic and this pathetic douche didn’t kill himself.”

“Dean, can you shut up for one moment?”

“No.”

Chase groans. “This is why Harley and you fight! Because you don’t have the fucking balls on you to make her yours, but then you go and be an ass to her when she shows interest in other guys!”

“I wouldn’t have been happy had you slept with Mr. Guyliner either.”

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t have reacted like a jealous boyfriend. Here’s the thing. You have got to stop being so overprotective of her. She has shown time and time again she can handle herself.”

“But she shouldn’t have to,” Dean argues.

Chase rolls her eyes. “Just fucking date her already.”

“I don’t like her like that!”

“Bullshit.”

Chase and Dean quickly exit the hotel room, to go meet back with Sam and Harley.

“It’s not bullshit. It’s the truth.”

“Okay, fine,” Chase says, stopping and turning to Dean.

“I want you to imagine something for me.”

“I’m scared.”

“Shut up, Dean! Just do it.”

“Fine!”

“Imagine Harley dating someone. Some guy. Let’s say he’s tall, dark hair, guyliner, Harley’s alt dream boy. Now imagine them together. They’ll kiss, hold hands, whatever the hell else. He’s her boyfriend so he probably won’t like how touchy you are with her. So you’ll have to stay hand’s off. They’ll get married, sleep together, grow old together. Now, don’t have to tell me, but think for a moment how you’d feel watching that from afar. Because I’m pretty sure you feel a bit differently about that situation than if it were me and my boyfriend. That difference is called loving someone versus being in love with them. You’d be happy for me, but you’d be angry, pouty, and jealous if it were her. Just in case you needed an eye opener.”

Chase continues to walk on, ignoring Dean, who is staring after her with wide eyes, a pained look of discomfort on his features before he hurriedly rushes after her, deep in thought.

***

Harley and Sam arrive in the lobby first, they wait a few minutes before Chase and Dean walk through the lobby doors.

“Hey,” Sam greets.

“Hey, Chase,” Harley says.

“Hey, Harley!”

“Maid found Jeb hanging from the ceiling fan. Police think it was a suicide,” Dean says.

“Who was right? That’s right. Me,” Chase says.

“About what? The death transference?” Harley asks.

“Yep!”

“Okay, good, that’s a lead.”

“Any connection between the victims?” Sam questions.

“Jeb was a total douche bag to Jay,” Dean offers.

“What about Vance?” Harley asks.

“Apparently, Vance was heckling Jay at the bar the day he was killed,” Chase answers.

“Okay, so Jay sneaks a card into Vance's pocket, does the table of death…” Sam says.

“And Vance takes 10 swords to the chest,” Dean adds.

“Then Jay slips a noose and Jeb doesn't. Hell of a trick.”

“Hell of a way to wake up,” Harley pouts.

Dean grimaces, as though unhappy about the reminder of the situation. “Yeah, I think it's time we had a little chat with Jay. Any luck tailing him?”

“He slipped us,” Sam says quietly.

“He slipped you? Both of you?” Chase asks in disbelief. “He’s 60.”

“He’s a magician,” Sam says in defense.

***

Winchesters and Co. follow Jay up to his hotel room, guns drawn. After Jay enters his room, Dean kicks down the door.

“Up against the wall!” Dean yells.

“God, who are you? What do you want?” Jay asks, panicking.

“Now!”

“We know what you've been up to,” Sam adds.

“You been working some real bad mojo to jump-Start your act,” Dean states.

“Mojo? Really?” Chase shakes her head at Dean, before re-aiming her gun at Jay.

“What? I don't know what you're talking about.” Jay says frantically.

“Look, we know you put a spell on those tarot cards,” Harley says, rolling her eyes.

“Messing with real magic?” Dean asks.

“"Real magic"? Come on, there's no such thing as real magic,” Jay insists.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yeah, believe me. I've been around this stuff my whole life. It's all just --It's -- It's illusions. It's tricks. It -- It's all fake.”

“Jeb hanging from his ceiling fan too? ‘Cause that looked pretty real,” Harley says.

“What? Something happened to Jeb?”

“Got hung right after you slipped the noose.”

They tie Jay up, and watch him carefully for a few minutes, before they finally start wondering what’s up.

“I swear, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. Just let me go!”

“Something’s not right,” Dean finally speaks up.

“Usually they’re whipping some bad hoodoo at us by now,” Sam agrees.

Chase gives her younger brother a look. “Seriously? Dean making those comments is expected. But you?”

“What do you want to do?” Sam asks Chase. “Or is the only thing you’re good for making comments about us?”

“Wow, rude.”

Sam shrugs.

“What do we want to do?” Dean reiterates.

“Well, if it’s not him, who is it?” Harley asks.

Dean rolls his eyes. “What, want revenge for lover-boy or something?”

“Dean, we are literally here for this job. Can you shut the fuck up for once?” Chase groans.

“Yes, Dean, I totally want revenge for someone I’ve known less than a day. That makes total sense,” Harley snarks.

Dean opens his mouth to make another comment, but Sam interrupts, shooting him a pointed look.

“Even if Jay's not working the magic, he's still getting the reward. His shows are selling out,” Sam says. “All right. So, then, whoever it is, they're obviously in Jay's corner,” Chase points out.

Dean, as though suddenly remembering to be professional (and less of a dick) carries on with the case. “All right, so we got Vernon and Charlie on the list. Anyone else?”

“Not that we know of,” Harley sighs.

“Uh, well, we could just… I don’t know. Ask him?” Chase says.

“Or not,” Harley says, noting that the chair is empty.

The other three hunters turn to see an empty chair.

“Are you fucking with me right now? God dammit, mother Mary!”

Harley laughs a little at Chase’s wording.

“Guess we should have seen that one coming,” Dean sighs.

“He couldn’t have gotten that far,” Sam reasons.

“Let’s go look for him,” Harley says.

They all nod and leave the room to search for the missing magician, unbeknownst to them that he had been hiding in the closet the whole time.

***

Jay had called the cops on the hunters and they came face to face with each other in the lobby. The gang got arrested and thrown in holding cells. Dean and Harley together while Chase and Sam were beside them (the latter two who are listening in on the former, without their knowledge or consent).

“Why?” Dean asks.

“Why what?” Harley says shooting him a cautious and confused glare.

“Why’d you sleep with him?”

“Why do you care? We’re not together.”

“I know, but if you get a boyfriend or girlfriend our whole dynamic will change. No more late nights cuddling and watching Scooby-Doo. No more kissing or flirting.”

“Dean, you’ll always be my main man. Even if some other guy comes around.”

“Or girl?”

“Or girl, so do everyone a favor and stop being a hypocritical ass. We’ll still be flirty friends in our old age. Nothing is going to change that.”

“Right, yeah.” Dean says not buying it for a second, but letting the issue lie.

“I can’t believe you got that jealous over Jeb.” Harley laughs.

“I wasn’t jealous.”

“Totally were.”

“Was not.”

“Whatever, you’re no fun.”

“I’ll show you how much fun I can be.”

“No, Dean.”

“C’mon, you fuck some random magician, but not me!” Dean yells indignantly.

“Yeah well. Maybe it was the guyliner,” Harley huffs.

“I’m a better lay anyday.”

“I don’t know Dean, it was kinda the best sex of my life.”

***

Sam and Chase turn to each other, and as silently as they can (which isn’t very silent because both Dean and Harley hear them), fangirl about the couple-to-be. They literally begin to wave their hands, screeching into their palms, jumping around. It’s kind of embarrassing.

***

“Jay. Thanks for dropping the charges,” Sam says.

“Yeah, it’s nice to not be in a cell anymore,” Chase nods.

“Yeah, especially when locked with him,” Harley jokes, motioning towards Dean, who just laughs and shakes his head at her.

“You mind telling us why you did it?” Dean asks, turning to Jay, suspicious of him.

“We have to talk,” Jay says.

***

“I was just a kid when we first met. All I knew was how to cheat at cards. Charlie got me out of more scrapes than I can count. Hell, I would have been dead by the age of 20 if it hadn't been for him,” Jay sighs, “He was more than my friend. He was my brother.”

“I'm sorry, Jay.” Sam offers.

“Look, I should have listened to you guys when you told me that my show was killing people.”

“Thank you,” Harley says, not exactly tactfully.

“Well, you weren't the one pulling the trigger,” Dean adds, trying to cover up Harley’s previous comment.

“Yeah, but someone did, and I want to find out who did this to Charlie, so I'll do whatever you guys say. Just tell me what to do.” Jay says.

“Jay, whoever's doing this...They like you. They're probably close to you. Did Charlie and Vernon get along?” Chase asks, trying to be careful, but also not wanting to miss any leads for the sake of sparing his feelings.

“No. No, it's not Vernon.”

“He's the only one that makes sense,” Harley comments.

“Charlie and Vernon were your family, Jay,” Sam states, his voice understanding.

“And now Charlie's gone,” Dean adds.

“Yeah, but...they butted heads sometimes, but Vernon could never do something like this,” Jay says, denial evident in his voice.

“You sure about that?” Harley asks.

“See, the thing about real magic is it's a whole lot like crack. People do surprising things once they get a taste of it,” Dean adds.

“You better be damn sure about this. Vernon's all I got left,” Jays states.

***

The four hunters enter Vernon’s hotel room after Jay had called him away.

“Wow. It's like a...magic museum,” Sam says, almost in awe.

“You must be in heaven. This guy doesn't travel light,” Dean jokes.

“He’s been on the road forever, Dean, this is probably all of his stuff.” Harley laughs.

“Let’s get started,” Chase comments, as she’s the least distracted.

They all look around the room, determined to find anything to help them with their current lead. Finally, Chase stops, sighing. “This is useless. There’s nothing here!”

“This is just a bunch of old-Timey magic stuff --None of it magic,” Dean says after a few minutes of looking through Vernon’s stuff.

“No herbs, no candles, and no tarot cards,” Sam agrees.

“I'll be damned!” Dean exclaims.

“What?” Chase asks.

Dean holds up a vintage poster with a young Charlie on it; the only problem is Charlie shouldn’t have been born yet (from the looks of the poster, it’s older, as though from a circus advertisement). “Look like anyone we know?”

***

The four hunters rush to the stage room, minds reeling. They get there in time to hear a young Charlie offer his two friends immortality.

“Not so fast!” Dean exclaims, climbing up the stage steps, followed by the others. “I ain't Guttenberg, and this ain't "Cocoon."”

“Immortality. That's a neat trick,” Chase says, standing in front of Charlie.

Charlie smiles at her. “It’s not a trick.” A noose drops from the ceiling, looping around Chase’s throat and pulling her up. “It’s magic.”

Just before Dean could try to help her, Charlie places a hand on his shoulder. Dean suddenly turns to Harley and raises his gun.

“Um, Dean, what the fuck. Bad guy that way,” Harley exclaims, pointing at Charlie. He simply smirks at her, shooting. She ducks, narrowly escaping the bullet.

Sam shoots Charlie, and he catches the bullet in his teeth. “Bullet catch,” Charlie smiles. “Been working on that.”

“Get him!” Chase yells out, keeping a hand in between the rope and her neck, breathing shallowly. “Can someone just fucking gank him already?”

Sam is pushed onto a table, bloody swords dangling above him, ready to drop at any second. Charlie watches it all with a smile.

“Dean, what the fuck!” Harley exclaims again, trying to help, but not being able to do much other than avoid Dean’s bullets.

Suddenly, Charlie gasps, looking down at his stomach, where blood is blossoming across his shirt. He looks to Jay, who has a pack of tarot cards in his hand, the other hand wrapped around a knife he had plunged into himself.

“Jay… You chose these strangers over me?” Charlie asks. Jay only looks at him sadly, as though holding back tears. Charlie collapses to the ground, the tarot card that killed him in hand.

The rope snaps, dropping Chase to the ground unceremoniously. The straps holding Sam to the table break, allowing him to be free. Dean, having stopped shooting at Harley, looks around with confused eyes, having missed the past few minutes’ events.

“You okay?” Sam asks Chase, while Dean and Harley check up on each other.

Chase, gasping a little for air still, nods. “Yeah. I’m good.”

***

The four hunters, having packed up, and gotten ready to leave, stop to say goodbye to Jay.

“Hey, Jay,” Dean says, walking into the bar. “We just wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday.”

“I killed my best friend yesterday, and you want to thank me?” Jay asks in grieving disbelief.

“Where’s Vernon?” Sam asks, unsure of how to respond to Jay’s statement.

“Oh, he’s gone. He said he didn't want to speak to me again after what I did to Charlie.”

“You know, Jay. Charlie was never going to give up what he was doing. You did the right thing,” Harley says.

“Are you sure about that? You know, Charlie was like my brother. And now he's dead... because I did "the right thing." He offered me a gift, and I just threw it back in his face. So now I have to spend the rest of my life old and alone. What's so right about that?” Jay stands from his table and leaves, the card deck he’d been shuffling discarded on the table.

“Jay, your cards,” A bartender says.

“Throw them away.”

Before Jay exits fully, Chase stops him. “I really am sorry. If I had to do that, I don’t know what I’d do. So, I’m sorry.” Jay nods to her, exiting the bar.

Dean sighs. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I could go for a beer.”

“I’m going to take a walk,” Sam says.

“Do you want any company?” Chase asks.

“No, I’m good. Just want to think.”

“Okay.”

After Sam departs, the three other sit down at a table and order drinks; Dean, beer, Chase, whiskey, and Harley, a Shirley Temple.

“Dean, what’s that on your eyes?” Chase asks suddenly, seeing dark circles under his eyes. Dean rubs at his eyes, shaking his head.

“Nothing.”

“Dean, did- Did you try putting eyeliner on?” Chase asks.

Harley’s head snaps up from her phone to look at Dean with wide eyes and a smile. “You know you could’ve asked for help? Wait… Where did you even get it?”

“Where you get eyeliner, duh,” Dean scoffs.

“Did you rummage through my stuff, Dean?” Chase asks.

“No.”

“Did you go through mine?” Harley asks.

Dean avoids direct eye contact. “Maybe.”

“Dean! What did I tell you about going through people’s things?” Chase demands.

“Not to do it.”

“And what did you do?”

“Okay, I went through Harley’s stuff and got eyeliner and tried putting it on but it looked bad, and I couldn’t figure out how to take it off.”

“Did you take anything else?” Chase sighs.

Once again, he avoids eye contact with both girls. “Noooo.”

“For fuck’s sake, Dean,” Harley sighs.

Chase smiles, but soon, it turns into full on laughter at the thought of Dean putting on eyeliner. Harley joins her and Dean sits there, pouting and fighting a smile.

Sam wanders in during this and sits down, leans over to Dean, asking, “What’s so funny?”

This only makes the girls laugh harder.

“Don’t worry, Dean. I’ll teach you how to put it on.”

***

Harley and Dean are in the girls’ bathroom.

“Okay, so you want to pull down your lower lid, then you can apply eyeliner to your waterline,” Harley explains.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Dean groans.

“It’s your fault for putting it on wrong. Now you gotta learn how to put it on right.”

“I really don’t need to learn, the eyeliner was a moment of weakness.”

“And if you have another moment of weakness you’ll need to know how to do it right,” Harley laughs.

“How happy will this make you?”

“Extremely.”

“Fine… What’s a waterline?”

“It’s like the very edge of your lower lid.”

“Wait is it supposed to touch your eye?” Dean asks.

“Yes, Dean, you put it in your eyes,” Harley snarks.

“Okay, I get it. That was a dumb question.”

Harley hands Dean the eyeliner brush; he pulls down his lower lid and hesitantly applies the eyeliner creme before doing the same a little more confidently to the other eye.

“Good job! Now comes the hard part. Less scary, but harder,” Harley jokes, “I want you to try your very best to stay close to your lash line while applying to your upper lid.”

“Can you say that again? This time in english.”

“Put the eyeliner directly above your eyelashes on your upper eyelid.”

“Why couldn’t you have just said that?”

“I did.”

Dean scoffs, but nonetheless does what he’s told.

“Good, now the easiest bit,” Harley smiles.

“There’s more!?” Dean exclaims, shocked and somewhat disappointed.

“Honey, you’re only halfway done. Now close your eyes and smudge the living daylights out of that eyeliner.”

“Can’t I be done?” Dean sighs.

“Depends, do you want to look hot or do you want to look sexy?” Harley smirks.

“Sexy.”

“Then smudge the damn eyeliner.”

“Fine,” Dean smudges the damn eyeliner before opening his eyes, “I look ridiculous.”

“Look at me,” Harley demands. She inspects his eyeliner making sure none of it is on his nose and wiping off the parts that are a bit to close, “Perfect. Last step; wash the eyeliner off your fingers.”

Naturally he ignores this and wipes it on his jeans. Harley rolls her eyes, but smiles. He can't help but grin seeing her reaction.

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Family Remains

A ringing interrupts the relative silence in the Lincoln waking Chase up. The girls quickly locate the phone emitting the noise and answer it, quickly putting it on speakerphone upon realizing it’s Dean calling.

“What?” Chase asks annoyed and tired.

“Got a case.”

“So you decided to wake us up?” Harley asks even though she hadn’t been sleeping.

“That’s not a great excuse. Couldn’t this have waited until morning?”

“Figured we start heading there now,” Dean responds.

“Dean, let Chase and Sam sleep.”

“Thank you!” Chase exclaims before rolling back around in her spot and trying to go back to sleep.

“Dean, If you can’t sleep, we could go for a walk. If you want,” Harley suggests.

“Yeah, okay. Don’t got anything better to do.”

“Cool. Meet you outside in a sec,” Harley says before hanging up.

Harley climbs out of their Lincoln, while Chase waits calmly. Right as she is about to close the door, Harley is startled by Chase.

“So. Where ya goin?” Chase asks in a mocking voice.

Harley turns, a deadpan look on her face, to see Chase half sitting up, a smirk on her lips, eyebrows raised. “Go back to sleep.”

Chase raises her hands slightly in defense. “Okay, okay.” Right as the door closes, Chase calls out loud enough to be heard, “Be safe!”

Harley groans, but doesn’t respond.

***

“Hey,” Harley says walking over to Dean.

“Be safe, huh? What did you have in mind?”

Harley punches his shoulder hard, but not hard enough to bruise as they walk away from the cars, “Shut up. Chase is clearly off her rocker. She’s been bugging me about you ever since we kissed.”

“Which time?”

“The only time she knows about. Right after you came back.”

“Yeah, I could see that. Sam’s been on me about it too. You’d think they’d get over a kiss by now.”

“I know it’s been three months of this shit.”

“So am I the hunter then?”

“Huh?”

“Last month you mentioned Chase thought you were madly in love with some hunter, and you wouldn’t tell me who.”

“Oh, yeah. That was you.”

“And you didn’t tell me, why?”

“I was embarrassed. Jeez, hitting me with the hard questions.”

Dean pulls Harley closer, slinging his arm over her shoulders, “Don’t have to be embarrassed with me, sweetheart.”

Harley just rolls her eyes and leans into Dean's side.

***

“So on a scale of one to ten, how safe were you guys?”

“I am so not answering that. Just no.”

“So a zero then? No, no, probably a ten. One, you’d tell me if you guys did anything. And two, you both are too fucking stubborn to do anything.”

“If we did have sex, and that’s a big gigantic if. Would you really want to hear about it? I mean do you really want to hear about how amazingly good your brother is in bed?”

“Yes and no… Ugh that’s annoying. I would usually 100% want all the details but, that’s disgusting. Okay, yeah, just tell me if you do the deed and if he treated you right. I need no other information.”

“That’s what I thought,” Harley smirks.

“Yeah, okay, point made. Now shut up.”

“For now. Do you think Cas is a virgin?”

Chase turns a shade of pink as a look of bewilderment spreads across it. “Wait, what, excuse-why the fuck? What is that- why is that something you ask me?”

“Because I don’t have anyone else to ask.”

“That is deplorable.” Chase pauses for about one second. “But, duh. Have you seen the look of confusion he always has on? That man- angel- wouldn’t know what to do with a man or woman even if he read a “how to” book for dummies.”

Harley bursts into laughter at Chase's response.

“What?” Chase asks. “What about him makes you think he has done anything more than touch someone’s shoulder?”

“Nothing, but it sounds a hell of a lot funnier out loud than in my head.”

“That’s fair,” says Chase, sighing in relief as though dodging a bullet.

“Wait, Cas touched your shoulder. Is there something you’re trying to tell me?”

“Other than Cas being a giant prude, no. Seriously, I have had like four conversations with him that lasted more than a few sentences. What makes you see something there?” Chase throws her hands in the air for a split second before they return to the steering wheel. “For crying out loud, the first few times we were in the same room, he pretended I wasn’t there!”

“Yeah, but you think he’s cute and he ‘always notices you’.”

“Well, I do attract a lot of attention with my dazzling and annoying persona.”

“You’re only annoying sometimes.”

Chase shoots Harley a sideways glance. “Thanks,” she says dryly.

“You’re welcome.”

Chase sighs. “Anyhow. Anything else you want to randomly talk about? Or is pestering me about Castiel the only goal you had?”

“Pizza is legally a sandwich.”

“Excuse me- what the fuck?”

“It’s true.”

“Do I wanna know?”

“Probably not.”

“Cool. Moving on!”

“There’s a Catholic Church that’s decorated in the bones of it’s parishioners.”

Chase just sighs in defeat. “Anything else?” she asks dejectedly. “Or can I be allowed peace this once?”

“I can’t think of anything else, so sure.”

“Alright then, back to you and Dean!”

“Fuck my life,” Harley groans.

***

“Boy, three bedrooms, two baths, and one homicide. This place is gonna sell like hotcakes,” Dean says upon entering the supposedly haunted house.

The Winchesters and Co. immediately go to separate areas and investigate the house for any signs of paranormal activity.

“Hey, check this out,” Harley says, knocking on the wall. “It’s hollow.”

“It’s probably just a dumbwaiter.”

Everyone looks to Chase who shrugs. “What? I used to read about older houses like this.”

“Know-it-all,” Dean mutters.

“You wanna say that again?”

“Say what again?”

“You said- you. Jackass.”

Sam rolls his eyes. “You guys need to grow up. I thought I was the youngest.”

“You still are, Sammy-boy,” Chase says grinning.

Another eyeroll is earned. “Let’s continue checking out the house.”

“Agreed,” Harley says, concealing laughter.

They wander into a large bedroom, investigating further.

“Well, no bloodstains, fresh coat of paint, it's a bunch of bubkes,” Dean says after a few moments.

“Needle’s all over the place,” Sam says, looking at the EMF reader.

“Yeah, power lines most likely.”

“Know-it-all,” Dean mutters again.

Chase shoots him a look.

Harley goes to the closet and opens the door. She sees a decapitated doll’s head lying on the floor, and slowly closes the door.

“What was that?” Chase asks her. Harley motions for her to go ahead and check. Skeptically, Chase opens the door. She stares down in confused horror. “Uh huh, okay then.”

The boys look over her shoulder, and mimic her expression.

“Well, that’s super disturbing,” Dean says.

“Think it got left behind?”

“By who?” Dean asks.

“Unless Bill Gibson liked to play with doll heads,” Chase scoffs.

“Or Sid from Toy Story lived here,” Harley says.

Chase laughs, only to stop, hearing a car outside.

“I thought you said this place was still for sale?” Dean demands.

“Apparently not anymore,” Sam says sarcastically.

“Wait, what?” Chase asks. “Did you two not see the ‘Sold’ sign outside?”

“No,” Dean responds hastily, before rushing to the front door. The other three quickly follow behind him.

“Who are they?” A teenage girl asks.

“Can I help you?” A man asks them.

“Are you the new owners?” Sam asks.

“Yeah. You guys are?”

“This is Mr. Stanwyk. I'm Mr. Babar. County code enforcement. Those two are Miss Wentz and Mrs. Babar. Specialists.”

Harley shoots Dean a look, before shaking off the comment.

“We had the building inspected last week. Is there a problem?”

“Asbestos in the walls, a gas leak.” Sam lists it off hurriedly, obviously just wanting the family gone. “Yeah, I’d say we have a problem.”

“Asbestos? Meaning what?”

“Meaning until this house is up to par, you can’t stay here. It’s uninhabitable,” Chase explains.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You mean we can’t stay here?”

“Obviously,” Chase deadpans.

“It’s a health hazard,” Dean amends, rolling his eyes at his sister. “You don’t want to.”

“Hold up, we just drove four hundred miles!”

“Look, what’s your name?” Chase asks.

“Ted.”

“Look, Ted. This house is a health hazard. You’ve got fairly young kids as well as yourself. Staying here is not a bright idea.”

“There’s a motel just down the road. Until this gets cleared up, I suggest you stay there,” Harley adds.

“All right, and what if we don’t?”

“Are you an idiot?”

“Wentz!” Sam says warningly.

“You either get a fine or you go to jail. Pick your poison.”

“One night,” the man says. “One night and I’ll take care of everything. ASAP, I promise.”

“You do that,” Dean says.

“Another motel? Awesome, Dad. I hope this one has hooker sheets, like the last one,,” the teenager pipes up.

Harley laughs and cracks a smile at the comment.

“Danny!” The mom of the group calls out as they near their car.

“Come on, Danny!” The man who isn’t Ted shouts.

Harley gently hits Dean as soon as they’re out of view. “Where do you get off pretending I’m your bloody wife without warning me.”

***

“What did the room look like when you found it, Mrs. Curry?” Harley asks gently.

“I already told the local boys, there was blood everywhere.”

“And Mr. Gibson? Where was he?” Dean asks.

She shakes her head. “Everywhere.”

Chase has to stifle a laugh, only successfully disguising it as a cough after Harley elbows her in the stomach slightly.

“How long have you been cleaning Mr. Gibson’s house?”

“About five years.”

“So you knew him pretty well,” Dean surmises.

“Well, not really. He was real private. Not the easiest man. Not that I blame him.”

“What do you mean?” Harley asks.

“His wife died in childbirth. Daughter hangs herself in the attic twenty years later. I’d be bitter too. Oh, I think I got some pictures.” With that, she goes off to find them. She quickly returns. “Here.”

“Thanks. Can we keep these?”

“Suit yourself.”

“So, why did she kill herself?” Chase asks.

“I don’t know. Was before my time.”

“Did you ever notice anything odd around the house when you were cleaning it?” Dean asks.

“Like what?”

“Like,” Dean pauses.

“Like, you know. Lights going on and off and things not being where you put them,” Harley lists.

“Well, maybe there was one thing.”

“What’s that?” Sam asks.

“Well, sometimes, I thought I heard like a...rustling in the walls.”

“Like a rat?” Dean asks.

“Yeah.”

“Must have been some big sons of guns out there, huh?”

“Wouldn't know. Never saw any.”

“Do you happen to know where Mrs. Gibson and her daughter were buried?” Sam asks.

“They were cremated.”

Winchesters and Co. headed back out to the cars.

“All right. So it probably wasn't the mom or the daughter. Whose ghost was it?” Sam says narrowing down their list of suspects to nothing.

“I don't know. But I say we give that place a real once-over and see,” Dean says.

“Lovely now all we got is who it probably isn’t,” Harley sighs.

“We’ve got a whole lot of nada and a shit ton of zip. I’m just tired of this already,” Chase complains.

***

Chase and Harley pulled up to the haunted house of the week with the Impala not far behind. The house’s lights were on and they could see people moving around.

“Shit! They stayed in the house!”

Chase rolls her eyes. “Fucking dumbasses.”

“They’re gonna get themselves killed.”

“We did warn them though. So, technically, we are not liable.”

“I love you,” Harley says laughing.

Chase laughs in response, her eyes tearing up slightly. “Am I wrong? Just, am I wrong? No. Exactly.”

“Definitely not wrong.”

“When have I ever been wrong?”

“You’re wrong about me and Dean.”

“Ah, but you are actually the wrong one. Guess who has another few photos to add to her collection? Me. And why is that? Oh yes. Because I caught you two cuddling! Again!”

“You know it’s kind of creepy that you have a bunch of pictures of me sleeping half naked.”

“No, it’s not. It’s not creepy because you’re with Dean and in my defense, Sam has the same file. That’s creepy. At least I’m a girl.”

“That doesn’t make it any less creepy.”

“But it does.”

“Dude, you’re into chicks. And you have pictures of me half naked. It’s weird.”

“I have literally seen you nude. Remember when we went skinny dipping that once? C’mon get a better argument. You know you don’t count. You’re practically my sister.” Chase smirks. “And soon to be sister.”

“It’s still weird. And no I’m not.”

“Oh come on. At least do it so we’re actually related finally.”

“I should’ve never kissed him in front of you.”

“Oh, so you would kiss him not in front of me? Wait. Have you kissed him before but not in front of me? How could you not tell me this?!”

“Because it’d only fuel your weird ship. Sometimes you just need a little affection.”

“OH MY GOD YOU JUST ADMITTED YOU HAVE KISSED HIM BEFORE OH MY FUCKING GOD!”

“Platonically.”

“There is no such thing as platonic kissing if it’s you and Dean.”

“Yes, there is. Although something was definitely different earlier today,” Harley says, shooting Dean a text.

Chase lets out an inhuman squeal in response. “You kissed earlier?! When?”

“While we were watching Scooby-Doo.”

“How romantic.”

Harley rolls her eyes at Chase.

“Give me details. Was it like for long or just short? Was it French? Wait, it’s Dean. Do I want to know? Nevermind, obviously I do. Sooo. Tell me everything.”

“I’m not dignifying that with a response.” Harley says, getting out of the Lincoln and sticking her tongue out at her best friend.

“You are such a child. Just tell me.”

Harley doesn’t respond; just sits on the hood of the car. Chase groans dramatically.

***

Screams erupt from inside the house and the four hunters quickly rush to aid the family. Pounding on the door with a frown, Dean takes the lead.

The man- Brian- opens the door. “Oh, you. Did you touch my daughter?”

“What? No,” Dean says confused. “I have her.” Dean makes a motion with his thumb, gesturing behind him to Harley, who rolls her eyes at him.

“Who are you guys?” Brian asks.

“Relax, please. You have a ghost,” Sam calmly states.

Chase resists snorting a laugh at the comment, covering it up with a cough. “We’re here to help,” she revises.

“A ghost,” Brian says again, as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“I told you!” Hooker Sheets Girl exclaims.

“It’s the girl!” Danny says.

“Both of you relax,” Brian chastises before turning the group. “What are you four playing at?”

“Oh nothing much, just saving you lives.” Harley says offhandedly.

“Your family is in danger,” Chase says.

“You need to get out of the house,” Dean demands. The girls roll their eyes at his abrasiveness.

All of a sudden, the lights go out, pitching the group into darkness.

“Nobody move,” Dean commands.

“Buster!” Danny calls out, hearing their dog start to bark and whine.

The four hunters follow Brian out of the house, alongside Ted. The group, while chasing Brian who is yelling for Buster desperately, comes across the words, ‘TOO LATE’, painted in large red letters.

The rest of Brian’s family comes out onto the porch, gasping at the sight before them.

“Go back inside. Go!” Brian yells at his kids; worried for their safety.

“We are not the bad guys, but you're in danger.” Dean states sternly.

“First thing's first. You got to get your family out of here.” Sam says quickly.

“Head to the motel I was talking about. You'll be safe there,” Harley says.

“What’re you guys gonna do?”

“We’re going to solve your ghost problem, obviously,” Chase says.

“Oh, come on! No!” Dean exclaims, drawing everyone’s attention.

All of the vehicles have slashes in all four tires.

“Excuse me? That fucking ghost is gonna pay!” Chase shouts, running over to Jack. “My poor baby.” She shoots a quick glance at the group behind her, “Sorry, excuse my french.”

Sam pops Baby’s trunk and looks for any of their supplies, while Harley checks Jack’s.

“Dude, the guns are gone. So is the... Basically, everything is gone.” Sam says.

“Same over here.” Harley sighs.

Ted had disappeared to check on his truck unnoticed, and only just returned. “Truck's no good.”

“Tires slashed?” Brian asks, and Ted just nods.

“What kind of ghost messes with a man’s ride?” Dean whines.

“Really though,” Chase agrees. “That’s a new level of bastard.”

“What's going on? What's going on?” The teenage girl asks before screaming, “She's there! She's there!”

“Where?!” The mom asks.

“She was right there in the woods!” The girl yells.

“What's a ghost doing outside?” Dean asks.

“Maybe it’s picking apples, Dean. For apple pie,” Chase says sarcastically. “Why are you asking? Does it look like we know why a ghost is outside?”

“Hey, it was a rhetorical question!”

“Do you two want to stay out here arguing and find out?” Sam demands.

“Are you crazy? We need to get the hell out of here!” Ted says freaking out.

“In what, Ted?! In what?! I don’t see a horse ‘n carriage anywhere, do you?!” Harley yells, fed up with their ignorance.

“Everyone back in the house,” Dean shouts. “Move! Now!”

***

“Whatever's outside, it can't get in this circle. As long as the salt line is unbroken, this is the safest place to be,” Dean explains.

“Safe from ghosts?” Brian asks skeptically.

“Actually, yeah, so shut up and just listen to us,” Chase snaps. These people were starting to get on her nerves.

“Okay, I’m not listening to this anymore. Come on. I got to get my family out of here.”

“Nobody is going anywhere until we kill this thing,” Harley reiterates.

“Sir, please, this is what we do.” Sam casts a wary glance at the other hunters. “Just trust us.”

“You hunt ghosts?” Danny asks excitedly.

“You betcha,” Chase says with a smile.

“Like Scooby-Doo?”

It is believed at this moment, Chase and Sam could’ve sworn they saw both Dean and Harley fall in love with the boy. Both of their faces widened with grins as they nod.

“Better,” Dean says playfully.

“You saw her outside, right? Okay. Does she look like either one of the girls?” Sam asks, showing them a couple of pictures.

“Her. She was paler and a lot dirtier, but that was her,” Kate says.

“That’s the girl in the walls,” Danny adds.

“The girl in the picture- she’s dead?”

“She killed herself in this house.”

“Wow, Harley. Tact,” Chase says flatly.

Harley just shrugs.

“So the maid got her story wrong?” Chase asks. “Rebecca didn’t get cremated?”

“Unless she’s attached to something else in the house,” Sam says.

“She hung herself in the attic, right?” Dean asks.

“You wanna babysit?” Sam asks. “I’ll check it out.”

“I’ll stay with Dean,” Chase says. “Harley, you go with Sam. Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Harley asks, confusion written on her face.

Chase glances at Dean out of the corner of her eye, before quickly looking back at Harley. “No idea.”

“Weirdo.”

“Look—I don't care who hung themselves where. Maybe something is going on here, but—” Ted starts.

“It’s a spirit, man,” Dean says.

“No, it's just some backwoods hillbilly bitch, and I'm not about to sit around here waiting for her to go all Deliverance on my ass.”

Chase laughs at his comment. “Okay, so you’re not all bad.”

“Nobody’s leaving this house,” Dean snaps.

“Stop me,” Ted challenges.

Harley butts in between Ted and Dean, moving her jacket and flannel so her gun is visible. “Listen. I've got a gun. You don't get your ass back in that circle, you're gonna have yourself a third hole.”

“Technically a fifth.” Everyone looks at Chase with an annoyed expression. “What?”

“You guys cool?” Sam asks.

Chase and Dean nod. “Go,” Dean says.

***

Harley and Sam arrive in the attic and pull out their flashlights.

“God, there’s so much fucking dust,” Harley sighs, heading to an unmarked box on the floor.

“Yeah. Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Is Harley your real name, because there’s no record of a Harley Pawlak, but there was a C-”

“Don’t say it!”

“So that is you?”

“No, she’s who I used to be. She’s been dead a long time.”

“What happened?”

“Trauma, growing up. Pick your poison.”

“Off limits, noted.”

“Wait. Why were you looking me up?”

“I did it awhile back, I think it was after the first time we caught you and Dean sleeping together.”

“Had to make sure I was good enough for your brother?”

“Yeah. Kinda.”

“You do know nothing is actually going on right?”

“So Dean has told me, many times.” Sam sighs before perking up at finding a journal. “I think I found something!”

“What?”

“Rebecca’s journal.”

“Sweet! Now we can get out of this musty old attic,” She says before sneezing.

***

“I can’t believe we got ourselves into this,” Chase groans. “This would all be over with already if you lot had just left when we told you to.”

“You couldn’t really expect us to leave,” Brian says.

“Well, no, I merely said it for the sake of my health,” Chase responds sarcastically.

“Chase, why are you such a child all the time?” Dean asks.

“And why are you such a dick?”

“Now that’s just uncalled for,” Dean says with an eye roll and a pout.

“Hey. Fonzie. Question for you. This indestructible force field made out of salt... Have to be kosher stuff, or what?” Ted asks.

Chase whirls around, but Dean grabs her arm, pulling her towards him.

“Ted, knock it off,” Susan says.

They all freeze when they hear a sound only a small distance away.

“Dean-”

“It’s fine.”

“What was that?” Kate asks.

They all look around, before spotting her. The girl from the photo was there, opening the door.

“Stay calm, guys,” Chase says.

“She's a ghost. She can't come in the circle,” Dean explains.

They all watch carefully as she slowly approaches them. She stops at the salt line and gazes at it warily, before brandishing a knife, and stepping over the line. Chase blanches while Dean looks on in panic.

“I thought you said ghosts couldn't cross the circle.”

“They can’t. She’s not a ghost.”

The girl attacks Dean, but he manages to fight and hold her off.

“Dean!” Chase cries out in panic, attempting to help him.

“Chase, get them out of here!”

“But-”

“Now!”

Chase nods before herding the others outside, running away from Dean.

She sighs in relief however, hearing Sam and Harley.

***

“Where is everyone?” Dean asks, coming outside to see Brian and an annoyed Chase.

“Hiding, which is where this lunatic should be, but he isn’t.”

“I want to help.”

“Go get your family,” Dean says. “Go!”

Brian rushes off to get his family while the four hunters look at one another. “So,” Chase says. “Not a ghost.”

“Just a girl then,” Sam adds.

“Girl?” Dean asks incredulously. “It's psycho Nell. I'm telling you, man—humans.”

“So who is she then?” Harley asks.

“I don't know. Maybe it's the daughter, Rebecca. Maybe she didn't hang herself.”

“Dean, you realize she would be like, fifty now or something.”

“Well, what did you two find in the attic?” Dean asks Harley and Sam.

“Not much,” Sam says.

“Just Rebecca’s old diary.”

“I wish you'd found a howitzer. Listen, we got to get this family safe. I mean, it's just a human, so they can make a run for it. We just got to hold her off,” Dean says.

“We're okay,” Susan says as the family runs up to the hunters.

“Danny! Ted!” Brian calls out. “We’ve got to go!”

“I’m good!” Ted calls back, running over.

“Danny, come on!” Susan calls this time.

“Danny!” Brian calls again. “Buddy, we got to go!”

“Told you it was some crazy bitch,” Ted says.

“Yeah, you did. Want a sticker or something?” Chase asks, rolling her eyes.

“Head to town. We’ll take it from here,” Sam says.

“Danny, come on, baby! We're leaving!” Susan calls again.

“Danny, we’ve got to go!”

“Brian, where- where is he?”

“Danny!”

“Danny!” Susan calls.

“Suse, Suse, Suse. We will find Danny, I promise you,” Brian says.

“No,” Susan says, in denial, shaking her head as though she couldn’t believe this was happening.

“No. Take Kate and go now. Now, while you still have a chance.”

“Not without Danny.”

“I am not going out there with mom alone.”

“She’s right,” Dean says. “Until we find your son, the safest place for you right now would be in the shed.”

Kate looks at him like he’s grown another head, “I’m not going in there either.”

“Yes, you are. It is the best defense. The windows are boarded up. It's got one door. It's our best shot right now. Trust me,” Harley says.

Kate looks at her warily, but nods finally.

“Suse, Kate, go.” Brian nods towards the shed. “Go.”

“Okay,” Sam starts. “You three go take the house,” he continues, gesturing to Harley, Dean, and Ted. “The three of us will take outside.”

***

Dean, Harley, and Ted walk into the house. Ted begins poking around the room and finds a butcher’s knife. While Dean investigates the walls and Harley the floor; actually doing something useful.

“What are you doing?” Ted asks.

“She's human. She had to come from somewhere.” Harley answers in a snarky manner.

Dean finds a loose board and pulls it free of the rest of the wall. Ted flinches at the smell emanating from the hole.

“You smell that?” Ted asks, scrunching up his nose.

“Every day,” Dean replies.

“You get used to it,” Harley adds.

Dean pulls a knife out and shines his flashlight through the hole before entering it, “Come on.”

Harley quickly followed suit with Ted in tow. They stop at a hole.

“You’re not going down there,” Ted says.

“Do you want to?” Harley challenges.

Ted stays silent.

“That’s what I thought.”

Dean starts lowering himself down, “Please nobody grab my leg. Please nobody grab my leg.”

Harley does the same after him. Dean shines his flashlight throughout the room. When it lands on Buster’s body torn to shreds. Dean quickly turns around and turns Harley so she’s facing away from the dog.

“What are you doing?” Harley asks, confused.

“Just get out of the hole,” Dean says.

“Why?”

“Just trust me, you don’t want to see this.”

“Okay?” Harley says unsure, but struggles to get up before Dean gives her a boost.

“Danny?” Dean calls out after Harley gets back up.

“Find anything?” Ted asks.

“Yeah, her kitchen,” Dean responds.

“Her what?”

Ted turns around and the girl stabs him through the neck.

“Dean! She’s here!” Harley yells as Ted falls on her.

Dean hurries to climb through the hole while Harley pushes Ted’s body off of her.

***

Chase paces back and forth, ignoring the stares of the rest of the family, as well as her own brother.

“Chase,” Sam says. Chase doesn’t even hear him, mumbling to herself. “Chase!” Sam repeats.

Chase’s head jerks up, as she finally takes notice of Sam. “Yeah, what?”

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Pacing. You’re giving me anxiety.”

“Yeah, well, I have anxiety all the time, so deal with it.”

Sam rolls his eyes as Chase begins to pace again, continuing her incessant mumbling.

“Look, why are we just standing here? Let’s go check the house,” Brian suggests.

“Yeah, no bueno. No offense, but that’s an awful idea,” Chase says.

“It’s better than pacing around like you! How’s that gonna help?” Brian demands.

“You wanna go? You’re only in this mess because you prideful assholes didn’t want to listen to us in the first place!”

Brain turns away, silenced by the indisputable facts of Chase’s accusation.

“Best thing we can do is just wait for the others to get back, okay?” Sam says, trying to ease the tension in the air.

A few moments later, the group startles at the sudden knocking.

“Sam, it’s us,” Dean says.

“Chase, could you please open the door?” Harley asks, sounding slightly aggravated.

“Help me,” Chase says, jumping into action to move the items blocking the door.

Harley and Dean rush in as soon as the door opens, only to shut it behind them.

“Where’s Danny? Did you find him?” Susan asks hurriedly.

“No,” Dean says shortly.

“Okay, well where’s Ted?”

“Outside.”

“Well why doesn’t he come inside?”

Chase at that moment realizes what happened.

“Because I had to carry him out. I’m sorry,” Dean continues, looking to the ground.

“What- what does that mean?”

“Are you saying he’s dead?” Brian asks.

“No, of course not. That’s not what he’s saying, right?” Susan asks.

“We were in the walls and she attacked,” Harley explains.

“Oh my God,” Susan gasps.

“I couldn’t make it to him in time,” Dean continues.

“Uncle Ted is dead?” Kate asks, looking back and forth between the adults.

“She snuck up behind us, I’m sorry Kate,” Harley says gently.

Dean leaves the shed and Harley follows behind him.

Chase looks at them as they leave before sighing heavily. She turns to Sam. “Anything useful in there?” she asks, gesturing to Rebecca’s diary.

Sam shakes his head, “Not yet.”

“We’ll find him, Suse. We will.”

“Where else is there to look? He’s dead,” Susan says dejectedly.

“Don’t say that,” Chase says gently, cutting in. “We will get your son back.”

“And if he’s already dead? She killed my brother and now she’s killed my son.”

“Danny is still alive,” Brian says.

“No, he isn’t,” Susan argues.

“Yes, he is. Do you remember what he said about the girl who lived in the walls? She said he could stay,” Brian explains.

Chase looks at him in shock. “Wow, you actually just said something useful.”

“I just don't understand why this happens to us. I mean, we're good people. We're a good family.”

“What happened to Andy happened, okay? I cannot change that. But I will find Danny, I promise you. And when I do, we are gonna be fine. You and me, the kids, we're gonna be fine.”

Chase looks to Sam and takes notice of his eyes darting away from them and back to the diary. She shakes her head lightly.

Brian nods to Chase before heading outside, presumably to where Dean and Harley had gone to.

***

“You okay?” Harley asks.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be,” Dean responds not so convincingly.

“Because I know you. You’ll blame Ted’s death on yourself. Which is ridiculous. If anyone should get the blame it should be me. Not that I actually care.”

“You just got up there.” Dean defends her.

“So it was no one’s fault.”

“ I guess you're right. But I doubt my subconscious will accept that.”

“Fair enough.”

“The most important thing is you’re still alive, so there’s that at least.”

“Did I just get Dean Winchester to look on the bright side?” Harley teases.

“I think plenty of positive thoughts.”

“Like what?”

“Like you without a bra, see positive.”

“Pervert.”

“You love it.”

“I tolerate it.”

***

Brain stares up at the house, taking deep breaths, trying to keep himself calm.

“Andy your son?” Dean asks. Brian glances at him quickly. He nods.

“Oldest. He got himself killed in a car accident last year.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It nearly tore Suse and I apart. Still could, I imagine. That's why we moved here. Fresh air, fresh start. Not even my line. Marriage counselor. 'Course, she might be right. After all, what could possibly go wrong in the country?”

Harley allows herself a bitter laugh, to which Brian raises his brows, cracking a smile.

“I'm getting your son back. If it's the last godforsaken thing I do,” Dean says seriously.

“Why do you care so much?” Brian asks him.

“Dean,” Sam says. “Harley.”

The three look to see Chase and Sam approaching them. Sam holds up the diary.

“We gotta talk,” Chase says shortly.

***

“What is that?” Dean asks as the four of them walk into the house.

“Rebecca’s diary,” Harley says. “Sam and I found it earlier.”

“I just finished reading it,” Sam explains.

“And?” Dean asks.

“That girl back there? Pretty sure she was Rebecca's daughter,” Chase explains.

“Rebecca had a kid?” Harley asks.

“It's all she talks about. Being pregnant, being ashamed of being pregnant,” Sam explains.

“Jeez, rent Juno and get over it. Wait, why kill herself after the baby?” Dean asks.

“Wow, Dean. Sympathetic,” Chase responds sarcastically.

“Maybe because her dad called her a dirty little whore and said he was gonna lock the baby up,” Sam responds.

“Why would he say that?” Harley asks.

Chase and Sam exchange glances before pointedly looking back at Harley and Dean.

“Oh, gross.”

“Yeah,” Chase says.

“So the daddy was the baby daddy too?” Dean asks.

“Dean, you have got to work on being tactful.”

“Dude was a monster, Dean,” Sam says.

“Wow, a story ripped from an Austrian headline. Humans,” Harley says, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Harley, you’re still partially human,” Chase reminds her.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“So she's been locked up her whole life?” Dean asks.

“You saw her eyes. Has she ever seen light? She's barely human,” Sam says.

“Okay, so, what, then, she's been caged up like an animal and she busts out and ganks dear old Dad? Slash Granddad?” Dean asks.

“I guess,” Sam shrugs.

“Well, can't say I blame her,” Chase says. “Someone did that to me, I might’ve not lasted as long. I definitely would have snapped eventually though.”

“Yeah, I can’t say I blame her either,” Dean agrees.

“I'm sure her life was hell, Dean. It doesn't mean she gets a free pass for murder.”

“Like you know what hell's like.”

Sam makes a surprised and regretful face, “I didn't-”

“Forget it,” Dean says.

“What the hell, Dean?”

Dean looks to Chase in shock.

“You can’t not talk to us about it, then use it against us, Dean. That’s not fucking fair.”

“You can’t even begin to imagine what hell is like-”

“Yeah, because you never fucking talk to us, Dean! So shut the hell up about it or tell us. Then, then you might be able to use that against us.”

Dean just stares at Chase in shock, before turning away.

“So where do we find her?” Sam interjects awkwardly, trying to break the silence.

“Kid's gotta eat, right?” Dean says, ignoring Chase.

“What?”

“He kept her hidden, locked up, but he had to feed her, didn't he?”

“I guess.”

“I think we know where,” Harley says, realizing where Dean was going with his train of thought.

***

The four hunters are breaking a hole into the kitchen wall, letting light into the shaft of the dumbwaiter.

“Could've kept her hidden here for years. Kept her fed, nobody would ever know,” Sam says.

Brian, who had insisted on coming with them, calls out for his son. “Danny! Danny!”

Dean shines a light down the shaft. “Watch out, I'm going down.”

“No. That's my son,” Brian attempts to argue.

“I know it is, but I said that I would get him. I will. Let me.”

Dean looks down and up the shaft and scoots through the hole, then starts to climb down the side.

“Hey, you got curtains? We need rope,” Chase says, getting an idea.

While Sam holds the light for Dean, Brian and Harley search around for curtains or fabric they can tie together for rope.

“You good down there?” Chase calls out.

“Yeah, just got to the bottom!” Dean pauses, obviously rustling around a bit. “Bitch is a klepto,” he finally mutters.

They all wait, having tied together enough curtains to make rope long enough, and finally, after several minutes, hear a boy’s yell.

“Was that Danny?” Brian asks.

“Know of any other boy we’re looking for?” Chase asks sarcastically.

Sam drops one end of a rope of knotted curtains down the shaft. Danny appears at the bottom.

“Danny!” Sam exclaims. Upon his urging, Danny ties himself into the rope.

“Okay!” Danny calls up, signalling that it’s clear to hoist him up.

“Okay, pull!” Sam says.

“Come on, buddy. Come on, buddy. Don't look back, Danny. Just come on, come on,” Brian mutters as they continue to pull Danny up the shaft.

Once Danny is to the top, Brian grabs onto him, hugging him. “Come on. You okay? It's okay.”

“Get him out of here. You gotta go,” Chase says.

As soon as Danny and Brian have left, Sam turns the light back down the shaft.

“Dean?” Harley calls.

“Dean!” Chase says again.

Sam quickly starts descending the rope, hearing a gunshot go off. Harley and Chase hold onto the rope, steadying it for Sam.

Five minutes later, the two reappear, climbing up the rope.

“Oh thank God,” Chase cries, throwing herself onto Dean. “I got so worried that the last thing I’d said to you was about-”

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Dean says, trying to be soothing, hugging his younger sister. He brushes a hand through her hair, making eye contact with Harley, who also shows relief at Dean being safe.

***

Dean jacks down the Impala after replacing the tires. Sam pulls Dean’s duffel out of the repacked trunk and throws it in the back of the car.

Harley and Chase pack up their things, Jack parked alongside Baby. Brian and Susan walk over.

“Thanks for the head start,” Dean says.

“Why doesn't it surprise me you guys don't like the police?” Brian asks.

“Because it’s not surprising,” Chase says.

“It's sort of a mutual-appreciation thing, really,” Sam responds.

“Well, thank you.”

“Thank you,” Susan says.

“You okay?” Dean asks the couple.

“No, we're the opposite of okay, but we're together,” Susan replies.

“Thanks again,” Brian says.

The group nods to the family before gathering the last of their things and heading on their way.

***

Sam, Harley, Chase, and Dean all sit around, eating burgers. Well, the first three are. Dean, however, simply unwraps his burger, only to rewrap it.

“You okay?” Sam asks.

“You know, I felt for those sons of bitches back there. Lifelong torture turns you into something like that.”

“You were in hell, Dean. Look, maybe you did what you did there, but you're not them. They were barely human,” Sam says.

“Yeah, you're right. I wasn't like them. I was worse. They were animals, Sam, defending territory. Me? I did it for the sheer pleasure.”

“What?” Chase asks, slightly confused.

“I enjoyed it, guys. They took me off the rack, and I tortured souls, and I liked it. All those years, all that pain. Finally getting to deal some out yourself. I didn't care who they put in front of me. Because that pain I felt, it just slipped away. No matter how many people I save, I can't change that. I can't fill this hole. Not ever.”

“That’s not your fault, Dean,” Chase says.

“It is, and I’m going to have to live with that.”

Chase, determined to be of some support, simply wraps an arm around Dean’s waist. “But you will never have to live with that weight by yourself. Not as long as you have me. Not as long as you have us.”

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Hey! This is Harley! I’m bored so go ahead and ask me about Angels and Acceptance!

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Genie of the Lamp

Chase and Harley’s plane touches down on the tarmac in Oahu, Hawaii. After everyone leaves the plane the girls head to their hotel with an ocean view. On the plane Harley had started rereading the Harry Potter series for the thousandth time. Chase, rather, had binge watched horror movies while cross-stitching (and has now made up her mind to never admit how many times she stabs herself).

“This is the nicest place we’ve stayed in a while,” Harley comments when the two enter the hotel room. The room is quaint, but lavish compared to the motels they were used to staying in. This room had high, white walls, a large bathroom, with a jacuzzi tub and shower. Ornate mirrors hang on the walls opposite each bed, with a large flat screen tv in the center.

Chase sighs, running and landing on her back as she jumps onto one of the beds with a laugh. “This place is awesome! Ugh, just what we’ve needed. When’s the last time either of us had an actual vacation?”

“There was that week I decided to visit my family.”

“Yeah, but that was still a while ago. This is also like, real vacation. I mean, look at that view!” Chase points out the large window, spanning most of the far wall, curtains pulled back to display the gorgeous view; they can both see the beach, with the waves lapping at the shore, few people dotting the shoreline as they relax in the sun. Green, lush wildlife grows abundantly all around them. “We don’t see that everyday. Can’t tell you when the last time I was at the beach was.”

“Me either. I can’t wait to be in the ocean again.”

“Same! Let’s change real quick, then we can head down to the water.”

The girls change in their swimsuits, before grabbing towels and running down to the beach. Harley has to chastise Chase, who forgets to put sunscreen on and begins to turn pink within minutes.

After Harley is satisfied with Chase’s cover of sunscreen, which only helps to make her look somehow paler than normal, they race to the water. Chase grabs Harley in a bridal style hold, only to quickly drop her in the surprisingly warm waves. Chase, however, is not thinking clearly when she does this, because Harley’s arms are laced around her neck, dragging her into the water as well. They both surface, spluttering, wiping the water from their eyes. They both shriek and laugh at each other’s reactions as they dive further into the waves, splashing each other.

***

The girls head to a food shack on the beach soaking wet, towels loosely tied around their hips, though not bothering to catch the water dripping from their hair. Chase brushes hers back with her fingers, pushing the accidental pink strands from her face (accidental because the die was purple but didn’t stick). Harley simply ignores her own Auburn-red hair, which drips slightly from her bangs.

A waiter comes by, asking if they are ready to order. Having known what their first meal in Hawaii would be, they both nod excitedly. They each order fish and chips and Chase gets a fruity cocktail.

“God, I love fish.” Harley says, eating a piece.

Chase, taking a bite of her cod, nods enthusiastically. “This is so amazing. Ugh, the boys are missing out.”

“Yeah, too bad Dean’s afraid of flying. If he wasn’t they might’ve come.”

“I don’t know. Sam did say that he didn’t want to go so far. But yeah, Dean probably could have changed his mind. I mean, c’mon dude I’m scared of heights and everything, but you don’t see that stopping me.”

“True, guess he’s just a scaredy cat.”

Chase laughs. “Don’t let him catch you saying that. It might hurt his feelings.”

“Then he’s a sensitive scaredy cat.”

“Another thing to not let him catch you saying.”

“Let him hear it. I’ve caught him saying worse about me.”

“Yeah, he probably wouldn’t say anything he’d just go in the corner and pout.”

“That would be hilarious.”

Chase nods agreeing, taking another bite of her food.

***

The girls got back to their hotel room to find a collective amount of 30 missed calls from Dean and texts from Sam saying he tried to stop him. Harley immediately calls him back and he picks up before the first ring.

“Where the hell were you? I thought the plane went down!” Dean shouts.

“We just went swimming. Chill,” Harley says, trying to calm him down.

“Would it’ve killed you to call... Wait, you went swimming? What are you wearing?”

“Gross!” Chase yells into the phone.

Dean hesitates before defending himself, “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that!”

“You’re Dean, of course you did,” Chase says.

“Maybe I’ll tell you later,” Harley teases.

Chase turns to Harley with wide eyes, mouthing, ‘Oh, we are so talking about that later.’ before turning back to the phone. “Don’t get any funny ideas there, Deano. I can and will kick your ass.”

Dean and Sam both laugh over the phone, Dean having obviously put the girls on speaker.

“Ten bucks on Chase,” Sam comments.

“Hey!” Dean exclaims.

“I’m so not getting involved in this one,” Harley says.

“So no one’s betting on me?”

“Course not, Dean. Why would they?” Chase laughs. The girls can both just imagine the pout on his face. “Look, now you know we aren’t dead, so can we go to enjoy our vacation please?”

“What if I want to talk to you?” Dean asks.

“You literally could have come with us, but noooo. You’re too much of a scaredy cat to.”

“Hey, you’re afraid of heights, Chase,” Dean says in defense.

“Yeah, but you don’t see that stopping me. I promise, we will talk to you later, okay?”

“I want nightly and morning updates!”

“Nightly,” Harley says, trying to compromise.

“And pictures,” Sam says.

“Okay, okay, we promise.” “Good,” Dean says. “I will talk to you two later.”

The girls bid their goodbyes, then hang up, sighing in relief before looking at each other in disbelief. They both burst out laughing, thinking of how Dean is paranoid, but how it is also endearing.

“Morning and night. I mean really? Once a day is more than enough,” Harley mutters.

“Really though. What does he think’s gonna happen?”

“Who knows what goes on in that brain of his.”

“Well obviously what goes on in that brain of his is ideas of you in a swimsuit.”

“Any girl in a swimsuit more like.”

“I dunno about that. He seems very keen on just you. However, I have to ask. ‘Maybe I’ll tell you later’ probably did not help him think about anything else. What was with that comment?” Chase fake shudders. “It was in front of me and everything.”

“I was just teasing him. It’s not like it meant anything,” Harley says plopping down on her bed.

“Right. It meant nothing. Nothing at all. I bet that is definitely the truth,” Chase says, sarcasm dripping heavily from each word. “Because thinking that you would say that and not mean it in any way would be preposterous. Of course I know you were teasing him! My point is you wouldn’t be teasing him without due cause.”

“I really would be though.”

Chase raises an eyebrow. “Mmmhmmm. Sure. Let me just call bullshit real quick.”

“Okay maybe I wanted him to think of me a little, but that’s it.” Harley says defending herself.

“Yeah,” Chase scoffs. “Just ‘A little’.”

***

The girls woke up the next morning, well, Chase woke up. Mainly because Harley didn’t know how to be quiet while she’s getting ready.

Sitting up onto her elbows, Chase checks her phone, groaning at the sight of a steady 7:21 staring back at her. She turns to Harley with a frown and creased brows. “You seriously couldn’t have waited nine more minutes for my alarm to go off?”

“Sorry, Scooby wasn’t cutting it for me anymore,” Harley says as South Nashville Blues plays at full volume in the bathroom and she does her makeup.

Chase, meanwhile, flops backwards onto her bed, simultaneously grabbing a pillow and covering her face. “Wake me up in nine minutes.”

“Six minutes now.”

“Wake me up in six minutes then!” Chase exclaims, her voice muffled by the pillow.

“Fine,” Harley sighs, dragging the word out before asking herself, “Should I even bother doing my hair? It’s just going to get wet. We’ll probably get some photos on land though. Right?”

“I’m curling mine, then I’m not gonna care until after we get back out of the water. After that, I’ll probably just braid it.”

“I can’t stand when my hair’s curly. I think I’m gonna straighten it. Just in case. Hey, did you bring any hairspray? I didn’t pack any.”

“Oh yeah, I did. I wanted to make sure my curls stayed even if it got windy. Why? You don’t need it to straighten your hair.”

“Yeah, but you can use it to waterproof your makeup.”

Chase shoots up in bed. “Wait, really?”

“Yeah. I’ve done it before.”

“Okay, I’ve got to try this! I was just planning on skipping eyeliner, but now I don’t have to.” Chase gets out of bed, silencing her alarm before it could go off, joining Harley in the bathroom.

***

Harley fiddles with the radio before giving up and playing something on her phone.

Chase groans, letting up on the gas. “Why is this car so touchy?” She turns to Harley, gesturing slightly to the speedometer. “This car is so annoying! Jack would never do this to me.”

“It’s because it’s a newer car. That’s why it’s so touchy.”

Chase scoffs. “That doesn’t give it the right.”

“It’s just for a couple of days.”

“The audacity!” Chase exclaims dramatically.

“Calm down, it’s just for a little while.”

Chase sighs, continuing as though Harley hadn’t spoken. “Just like the audacity you have, claiming you don’t like my brother.”

“Hey, we're not in Jack. No talk about me liking Dean.”

Chase rolls her eyes. “Whatever you say.”

“Thank you.”

Sudden realization dawns on Chase. “Wait, you just admitted you liked him!” Chase refrains from screeching-but just barely.

“I didn’t mean I liked him. I just meant you think I like him.”

“Ugh. Okay, okay, fine whatever. Be in denial. What’s our first scene gonna look like for pictures?”

“We could do a shot like the main poster for H2O.”

“Ooo, yes.”

“And then I brought my waterproof camera.”

“Wait, you did bring it? I forgot my polaroid sadly.”

“Yeah, I remembered thankfully.”

“Okay, cool. Now here we are! Surf ‘N’ Shack. Think they sell food? I didn’t eat breakfast.”

“I’m sure they sell food.”

“Good.”

***

The girls smile, looking out at the wake crashing onto the shore. Plenty of beach is in front of them, but there is also rocky cliffs situated to their right. The perfect place to take photos. The girls had their rented silicone mermaid tails and struggled to put them on for longer than they would like to admit.

“That was exhausting.” Harley admits as she finally gets her tail on.

“That was… unpleasant. But the pictures will be well worth it.”

“They better be,” Harley says, flipping herself over so she’s not sitting on her dorsal fin.

Chase struggles to her feet, using the surrounding rocks to help her hop closer to the water. “This is gonna take a while,” she laughs after three hops.

Harley starts crawling across the sand towards the water dragging her tail behind her. Chase laughs at her, before losing balance and falling over.

“It’s easier this way,” Harley chuckles.

“Well, it looks weird. Oh my God! I just realized. It is going to be so much harder to get this off when it’s wet!”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Well, it’ll definitely be more uncomfortable.”

“It’ll be weird for sure. Like shedding your skin.”

“I never asked, wanted, or imagined that mental image until now. So thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome. Wait, we should take the H2O photo before we reach the water.”

Chase gasps. “That’s brilliant!”

“I have my moments.”

“You mean moment, because you’re never not brilliant.”

“Aww! Thanks!”

“Well duh.” Chase scoots closer to the water. “Now, let’s get this done with so we can go swimming!”

Harley takes the photo as her arms are longer. Then they continued to crawl till they reach deep enough water to swim.

***

“I’m beached! I’m a beached whale!” Harley yells as she reaches the shore.

“I’ll save you,” Chase shouts, swimming and then scooting up the shore to Harley. Then, she lays there, tired out. “Shit, now I’m beached.”

The two girls started laughing uncontrollably at their beached state.

“Best vacation ever,” Harley says between laughs.

“I’m just glad that we get to relax and nothing is going wrong.”

“Oh god, did you just jinx it?”

Chase shrugs, peeling her tail back a little at a time. “I doubt it,” she huffs. “Seriously. We are in Hawaii on vacation for Thanksgiving. We deserve a break. I’m sure God, wherever the hell he is, recognizes our efforts, and will grant us some peace.”

“Sure, like he’s been much help before.”

“Well, he will give us peace this week, or he will be punched very, very hard when I meet him.” Chase looks to the sky. “And that’s a promise!”

Harley begins trying to kick out of her monofin before pulling the tail skin down.

Chase shimmies out of hers, kicking her legs slightly, her hands brace on the ground behind her for support. “This is one of the most annoying things I’ve ever had to deal with.” Blowing the hair out of her eyes, she continues, “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”

“The spa and that hike to the Kaniakapupu ruins.”

“Oh, yes, a spa. That sounds like heaven.”

“It does, doesn’t it. I wanna get some gel nails so I don’t constantly have to redo them.”

“I want a fucking massage.”

“Honestly. I probably need one. Either that or a chiropractor.”

“Same. Or death.”

“You are not allowed to die on me.”

“No promises,” Chase laughs.

“Fine, but you have to come back.”

“That, I will figure out how to do. There’s no way I’m going to die and miss out on the rest of our adventures together. That, and Dean owes me twenty bucks and pie that he still hasn’t paid up for.”

“What bet was it this time?”

“Like, I don’t remember, a month ago or so, Dean told me I couldn’t eat a whole pie in ten minutes. I bet him twenty bucks and another pie. Guess who won?”

“You.”

“Oh hell yes. Anyway, you wanna get food? I could go for some good Hawaiian bbq right now.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a fun new experience.”

***

Chase puts the phone on speaker as the dial rings exactly one and a half times before Dean picks up the phone. “Chase! Thank God you called. I was about to get upset that you’d break your promise.”

The girls hear Sam sigh over the phone. “We saw those pictures you sent. You two look like you’re having fun.”

“You look hot.” Dean pauses. “Obviously I’m talking to Harley.”

“Wow, Dean. I feel so much better now,” Chase says sarcastically.

“You look nice too, Chase,” Sam amends.

“Thanks, boys. We miss you too,” Harley laughs.

“Of course you do,” Dean says, “No one to cuddle with at night.”

Chase rolls her eyes.

“You flatter yourself,” Harley retorts.

“I do,” Dean responds cheekily. “All the time. But guess what?”

“So do I?” Harley guesses.

“You flatter me too, wait- How’d you know I’d say that?”

“Because you’re predictable?” Chase guesses.

“I’m not predictable,” Dean says feigning hurt.

“I thought you were gonna say I flatter myself actually,” Harley counters.

“Well, see, I’m not predictable.”

“You kinda are, Dean,” Sam says.

“My own brother, betraying me like this.”

“What am I?” Chase asks. “I’m your sister and you’re not as offended? Rude.”

“You’re rude saying I’m predictable.”

“Well, you’re rude because-”

“Guys, really?” Sam asks, sounding tired.

“What?” Chase demands. “He started it.”

“Well, you guys are weird. I’m gonna go wash the sand out of my hair. So, bye, love you guys,” Harley says before getting up and heading to the bathroom.

“Was that an invitation?” Dean asks, thinking Harley is still near the phone.

“Ew, gross, goodbye,” Chase says, hanging up the phone, despite her brother’s protests.

Shaking her head, Chase lays down onto the bed, waiting for her turn in the shower.

***

Today the girls head out to a group tour of the Kaniakapupu Ruins. “When was the last time we went sightseeing?” Harley asks.

“Other than everytime you stare at Dean? Don’t know.”

“I don’t stare at him.”

“Yeah, okay, and I don’t- uh. I don’t. Shit, I totally forgot what I was going to say,” Chase says, turning a light shade of pink. “Anyway, these ruins sure are pretty!”

“Yeah, and so is the land around it. Absolutely stunning.”

“You’re stunning. Quick, go over there and I’ll take your picture!”

Harley goes to stand in front of a fallen archway and Chase takes her picture. “Your turn!” Harley says, stealing the camera.

Chase laughs, shaking her head, but strikes a ridiculous pose nonetheless, a hand on her hip, the other on the back of her head, sticking her tongue out at the camera. “Okay, now we should probably catch up,” Chase says, gesturing to the group a few paces ahead of them.

The rest of the tour went as normal as possible with Chase and Harley around. At least that’s what the girls thought until they overheard their tour guide talking to someone else about how a girl, Megan Brown, didn’t come back from the tour.

“Excuse me, ma’am, are you saying one of the girls disappeared?” Chase asks, interrupting the tour guide, who seemed to be talking to a head officer of some sort. “Is the tour route going to be closed down then?”

The tour guide shakes his head. “No need. It seems every couple months when we do this tour, a couple people wander off and get lost. There haven’t been any signs of animal attacks or kidnappings.”

“And you haven’t thought to handle the situation more thoroughly?”

“Have you even looked into the disappearances?” Harley asks.

“Of course,” the officer says. “But it isn’t anything you two need to be concerned about.”

“It seems that it is,” Chase continues. “If this happens so often, you’d think you would have a better handle on things.”

“As long as you two don’t wander off, you will be fine. You two girls run along and don’t get into any trouble.”

Harley and Chase huff, but listen to the instructions.

***

As Chase and Harley enter the spa, they’re surrounded by three people each. Harley has one man along with one woman, while Chase is surrounded by two women, each of them in their early thirties at the latest.

Chase and Harley give each other a thumbs up as they are led to their own spa stations, close enough to hear, talk to, and make weird faces to each other, in hopes of getting one to laugh.

“I’m Kai,” the man introduces. “And this is Kayla. The two lovely women attending you are Sarah and Halola.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“So where did you two come from?” Kayla asks. “And what are you here on? Honeymoon perhaps?”

Harley shakes her head with a laugh. “No, actually. Just vacation.”

“We just came for the early holidays. We were just at the Kaniakapupu ruins.”

“Oh! That tour. It’s always so...interesting to hear the stories once visitors come back.”

“How so?” Chase asks.

“Well, you see-”

Kayla is cut off by Halola, who says something rushed in what the girls assume is Hawaiian. Turning back to the girls, Halola smiles. “It is nothing. Just petty gossip surrounding people who aren’t smart. We really shouldn’t talk about it or bother you.”

“You mean the disappearances. Well, a girl went missing on the tour before ours. Does that really happen often?”

“Sadly, yes,” Kai says, ignoring the rolled eyes of Halola and Sarah. “But really, what happens to them is just a legend told to tourists by us locals to scare you. Really, I wouldn’t think much about it, at least for the time being. Now is your time to relax.”

“What’s the legend say?” Harley asks.

Kai smiles. “Well, legend is, King Kaniakapupu had an affair with another woman who wasn’t his queen. Driven mad with jealousy and rage, Queen Kanua’pele killed both him and his lover. Distraught over how the queen let the kingdom go after his death, he haunts the ruins, seeking revenge on any person who dares intrude in his home.”

Chase and Harley stare at him, slightly unimpressed.

“Huh. That’s a good story,” Chase says.

“Yes, yes, a story and nothing more. Not even a good story at that.”

Kai shoots Halola a look. “Ah yes, because I’m sure you prefer the older beliefs.” Halola stiffens slightly. She relaxes within a second, however.

“I simply don’t believe in ghost stories and you shouldn’t be telling them to visitors that already are aware of the very real disappearances that occur.”

“It’s alright,” Harley says.

“Yeah, trust me. Not much scares us away,” Chase laughs.

“Even so,” Halola continues. “At least relax and we can finish this process. Next, you’ll be having your massage and then manicures.”

Chase and Harley grin at each other, pushing the story Kai told them aside for the time being. Next, they were getting massages.

***

“So, that was the best thing ever!” Chase exclaims, flopping backwards onto the bed.

“Agreed! Today was awesome! Except for the whole we might have a hunt thing.”

“Uh, no. No, no, and no. I might have allowed myself to be curious, but this is my vacation, and I will not be working on it!”

“Fine, I’ll just go it alone on this one.”

“Yeah, also not happening. I know you can hold your own and everything, but I would rather not have Dean trying to kill me.”

“He won’t try to kill you.”

Chase raises an eyebrow. “Right. I guess he didn’t give you the same pep talk.”

“Seriously, Dean?”

“Yes, seriously! You leave her alone for a moment, I’ll kill you. And you better not be running off on your own either. You are to go, have fun or whatever, and then come back. NO hunts, NO jobs, NO nothing. Capisce?”

Chase rolls her eyes. “Why would either of us need to go off on our own?”

“Because it’s you and her. Somehow, you guys are gonna do something or you’ll say something and boom. You’re separated and she’s in trouble or you are, and then you’ll fix it.”

“So you think we would fix it though?”

“That won’t keep me from killing you if something goes wrong.”

“Of course, blame me!”

“That’s what I plan on.”

“Fine, fine, okay! I’ll be careful. We won’t go off on our own. We’ll keep you posted.”

“Good. Now go have fun. And call me when you land.”

Chase makes a face at him. “Yes, dad.”

“Wait, he said all that?” Harley asks.

“Yep! So now we know who his favorite is. And it isn’t me, his own flesh and blood,” Chase sighs dramatically.

“Wow,” Harley says, so low it barely registers.

“I know, right? It’s like he doesn’t trust us!”

“He really said all that?”

“Yeah. He sure is a buzzkill.”

“So we don’t listen to him. I mean we rarely do anyway.” Chase pauses, thinking for a moment. “You’re right about that. But I still say we don’t get involved unless we have to, okay?”

“Just one last look around the ruins?” Chase glares at Harley before sighing loudly. “Fine, I guess. But we go with a guide and group again. If something happens on that trip, then we can investigate.”

“Deal!”

***

“I told you there wasn’t any reason to be here again,” Chase complains, staring down at the EMF reader.

“Wait, do you smell something?”

“Does bullshit count?”

“No, it smells like metallic-y.”

“Thought you were gonna say sulfur there for a moment. But yeah. Smells like blood,” Chase says, glancing back at the group. She takes a head count, then frowns. “See anyone missing from the group?”

“The chick with the giant sun hat?”

“Yeah, and the tour guide.”

“He didn’t want us looking into the disappearances,” Harley points out.

“Yeah, and now he and another woman are gone. What should we do?”

“We should split up and look for clues.”

“You watch too much Scooby Doo. Honestly, best plan right now is to probably stay with the group and see if the tour guide comes back. What’s his name?”

“Paulo, I think. And yeah you’re right, about both.”

“Of course I am.”

Ten or fifteen minutes later, the girls can’t be sure, Paulo seems to have reappeared from nowhere. He stands with a few others, pointing out carvings in the pillars against the far entrance. However, upon further inspection, the woman who had disappeared along with him is still gone.

“Okay, maybe it’s a good thing we came back,” Chase relents.

“Told you.”

“Oh, don’t pull that card.”

“I’m pulling that card.”

“Rude,” Chase pouts.

“Well, I’m not the nicest person in the world.”

“Fair. To be honest, if you were, we probably wouldn’t get along nearly as much as we do. Speaking of doing, what do we do about Pablo over there.”

“Paulo.”

“Same difference.”

“Find out what he is and gank him,” Harley shrugs.

“Guess that ghost story is just that. A story. Of course, a ghost would have been too easy.”

“I don’t know some are pretty nasty.”

“Yeah, that’s fair. Still, we at least would have known what to do. Now, we don’t have many leads, other than that,” Chase emphasizes ‘that’, nodding her head at Paulo. “We should go back to the hotel and come back here tonight.”

“Agreed.”

***

Harley takes up dialling Dean for the night. “Hey, we’re still alive,” she says as soon as he picks up.

“Good,” Dean says dead serious.

“Let a little laughter in your life. Jeez.”

“I’m good thanks.”

“Buzzkill.”

“I am a joy to be around.”

“Ladies, ladies, you’re both very pretty. Moving along?” Chase says breaking the two up.

“Duh, have you seen me?” Harley jokes.

“I have and I can’t help but like what I see,” Dean flirts.

“Oh shush, I’m not gonna be one of your one night stands.”

“I never said that.”

“It’s what you were thinking.”

“Sweetheart, you have no idea what I think of you.”

“Good things I hope.”

“More than good.”

“Ackomygodthatissoackkkeee,” Chase squeals in a high pitched tone, almost incoherently.

“What was that?” Dean asks.

“That was me puking because you’re disgusting, duh.”

“Yeah, right, okay.”

“I mean it was disgustingly sweet,” Harley says laughing, “I thought you didn’t like chick flick moments.”

“I don’t.”

“Suuuure you don’t. How’s Sam doing? I haven’t heard from him.”

“I’m good, just tired,” The girls could hear Sam say in the background.

Harley rolls her eyes before saying, “We miss you tons.”

“I miss you guys too,” Sam laughs.

“I miss you moreeee,” Chase over exaggerates.

“Yeah, probably,” Sam quips.

“Ouch,” Chase mutters.

“Well I’m gonna let you guys go so Sammy can get some beauty sleep before he kills me,” Dean says.

“He’ll kill you anyway. You’re just that annoying,” Chase says.

“Says you!” Dean fires back.

“Yeah, says me, the least annoying sibling.”

“You are so not the least annoying,” Dean says.

“You’re both annoying. Shut up!” Sam shouts from wherever he is in the room (his voice sounds muffled, as though buried in a pillow).

“Bye Dean, bye Sam!” Harley calls out.

“Can you believe the gall of that man?” Chase exclaims after the phone call ends. “The nerve?”

“I thought it was hilarious,” Harley says.

“Of course you did. You were still distracted about Dean’s previous comment!”

“Which one?”

“You’re actually asking me that? As if you haven’t been replaying that sentence in your head for the past ten minutes? Please. I’m not that dumb.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, sure you don’t.”

“I don’t!”

“Okay, okay, whatever you say.”

***

The two hunters stand in front of the ruins, flashlights illuminating the dirt path in front of them as they stare up at the crumbling walls of the old palace.

“I guess we should sp-”

I swear to God, if you say the words “split up”, I’m going to super glue you to my side.”

“You got a better idea?”

“No,” Chase mutters dejectedly.

“Then yes, we should split up.”

“Fine, but the moment something happens, call me, okay?”

“Duh. I’m not an idiot.”

“Jury’s out on that one. Let’s go.”

“Oh my god, you’re so rude.”

“You’re the one suggesting we split up so, am I wrong?”

“Yes, you are, because we’ll probably be fine.”

“We’ll see.”

***

Chase wanders down yet another corridor, softly humming AC/DC under her breath, a habit she has for when she’s nervous. Flashing her light against the walls turns up nothing, though the sight is pretty.

Suddenly, after about half an hour, something flickers in her peripheral vision. She whirls around quickly, all sound being cut off. Cautiously, she walks over to the doorway she’d seen the movement coming from.

She pokes the flashlight through the doorway first, before following with her head. She looks left. Nothing. She looks right. Also nothing.

Chase sighs, placing a hand to her head, squinting her eyes tightly, as though that could make her headache disappear. Turning on her heel, she walks back into the corridor, only to collide into something hard. She stumbles back, before noticing she’d walked into a wall.

She really shouldn’t walk with her eyes closed.

She growls under her breath, walking through a high arch, leading into a large open space, equally as dusty as the past few rooms. She checks behind the large pillars, hoping to see some evidence of...anything, really. Just as she’s about to leave into another hallway, she spots a flicker of movement again. Turning her light to the center far wall of the room, she sees a large stage-like stone, atop it what looked like human remains of some kind.

“Perfect,” Chase mutters, wandering over. “Just perfect.”

Chase grabs her phone, bringing up the name “Harley Quinn”, pressing the number.

“Yeah? Find something?”

“Yeah. Human remains. You know, body parts, some bones. The usual.”

“Lovely,” Harley mutters.

“Yeah, anyway, I think there’s something still here because I keep seeing movement. I don’t know, I may just be paranoid. But- oh for fuck’s sake.”

“What’s up?”

Chase whips out her gun, firing a couple shots at the figure looming over her, of course, making little headway in keeping it at bay.

“You stupid Aladdin character looking ass,” Chase mutters, dropping her phone after the figure makes a swipe at her. The woman, djinn, grins at her, reaching out a hand.

“Chase? Chase!” She hears Harley’s voice shouting from the other side of the phone call, before her vision turns white.

***

Harley searched the ruins high and low for any sign of Chase before finding her phone on the ground. She pocketed it before surveying the area. She noted the body drained of blood. That and Chase calling the creature an ‘Aladdin character looking ass’ clued her into it being a djinn they were hunting. She headed to the hotel room pocketing a silver knife.

Harley drove to the nearest sheep farm. She picked the locks and found a lamb before calling Sam.

“Hello?” He asked, yawning.

“Hey. Do not put it on speakerphone. Don’t tell Dean it’s me.”

“Dean’s asleep. Why are you calling?”

“Swear none of this leaves this phone call first.”

“I swear. Now, what’s going on?”

“Chase and I were hunting a djinn, but we didn’t know it was a djinn yet so we didn’t have the proper weapons. Basically she got kidnapped by the djinn and now I have to murder a lamb and I’m freakin’ out man.”

“Okay, slow down. Chase got kidnapped?”

“Yeah, please don’t be mad.” “I’m not mad, just worried. Do you need backup?”

“No, I just need to kill this lamb, but like it’s so precious and sweet.”

“Who do you care about more? Chase or the lamb?”

“Chase, but the lamb is really up there.”

“Look, just stab it. You just need the blood. You don’t have to kill it.”

“Right, yeah, I can’t do that.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I still blame myself for all my fish dying after I cleaned their tank when I was in grade school. I still feel guilty about that shit.”

“That’s...okay, um just pretend it’s a werewolf.”

“I have aphantasia, Sam! I literally can’t do that!”

“Okay, then you’re just going to have to do it. Don’t think, just do.”

“Okay?” Harley squeezes her eyes shut blindly bringing the knife down until she hears the bleat of the lamb. She opened her eyes and saw the white of the lambs fluff turn red. The knife was coated in the lamb’s blood. “I did it, oh god, I did it. Fuck, I’m a monster. I mean I’m always a monster, but now I’m even more of a monster.”

“Harley, calm down. You’re not a monster.”

“Yes, I am,” She says, tears building up in her eyes.

Sam sighs, “Just do me a favor and go rescue Chase.”

“Right, yeah, bye. I’ll call you after I rescue her.”

“Alright, bye, Harley.”

***

Chase laughs, pointing mockingly at one of her best friends. Harley sits close by her side, twirling a knife. Setting the camera up to take another picture, Nathaniel flips off the moon.

“Shit, this is not going to come out right. We should’ve picked a different night.”

“Hey, you invited me out, not the other way around,” Chase says.

The horizon is surprisingly easy to make out, considering it’s eleven at night. The full moon illuminates the scenery, a small town in the distance, it’s lights twinkling lazily.

“Can you fix this for me?” Harley asks.

“Sure,” Chase responds, starting to braid Harley’s hair.

“Ah! Got one I actually like,” Nathaniel shouts in victory.

“Hey, we wanna see!” Harley says.

Nathaniel bends down, showing the two girls a photo of them, sitting next to each other, looking out in the distance. You can’t see much detail, but the two are relaxed and enjoying themselves.

---

Chase runs through the house, getting chased by an overly loud man.

“Dean, Dean, stop! It wasn’t me!”

Getting scooped up by her older brother, she dissolves into a fit of laughter, getting tickled in all of the worst places. “Then who was it?” Dean demands playfully.

“Sam, okay, it was Sam!”

Dean lets go of Chase and turns to slowly look at their youngest brother. “It was you!”

Sam looks at Chase. “Snitch.” He takes off down the stairs and all three can distantly hear Bobby yell, “No running in the house, ya idjits!”

Chase watches on, taking deep breaths, laughing slightly still.

---

“I did it, I did it!”

“Um, hello?” Harley asks.

“Okay, fine, we did it.”

“Was that so hard?”

Bobby comes up behind the two girls, hugging them both. “I’m so proud of you two.”

“Stop, Bobby, you’re gonna wrinkle the gown.”

“You’ve already graduated, what does it matter now?” Dean asks, taking yet another picture.

“It’s about the pride,” Sam says. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t understand. I may not have graduated from a fancy college like you three, but I am still the coolest one here.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Dean,” Chase says.

“Yeah, obviously, I’m the coolest one,” Harley adds.

“Okay, okay, I relent. Obviously, I am the coolest one here, other than my smartass fiancee.”

Dean wraps Harley up in a hug, while Sam and Chase roll their eyes, mouthing ‘I told you so’ to themselves.

“Okay, okay, I want one last picture of all of us,” Sam says.

Sam asks a random family to take a picture and they oblige. Sam stands at the very back, his arms around Dean and Bobby’s shoulders, while Harley and Chase stand side by side in the very front. Their smiles are wide, and their hearts content. They wouldn’t trade this life for anything.

***

Harley arrives at the ruins, african dream root in her messenger bag and silver knife in hand. She began searching in the djinn-eral area that Chase disappeared from. She found Chase’s phone before she found her in a cavern by the ruins.

“Chase!” Harley yells as soon as she sees her. She runs up to her friend's limp hanging body, and gently slaps her cheek trying to wake her up. It doesn’t work so instead she gently cuts her friend free and lays her on the cavern floor and takes out her IV. Harley then frees who she assumes is Sunhat Lady. She assumes as she has since lost her hat.

The djinn enters the cave and it takes a moment for Harley to place her heavily tattooed face. “Halola, right?” Harley asks.

“You remembered, I’m surprised.”

“I never forget a pretty face. Too bad I’ll have to kill you.” Harley frowns before lunging at Halola. She dodges and tries to grab Harley’s neck. Harley ducks and drives the silver blade through the djinn’s heart. Halola screams then goes limp.

***

“Chase! Thank god you’re alive!” Harley yells hugging her for dear life.

Chase moves away slightly, very confused.“Look, I know I said I was stressed about the job interview, but it’s nice to know you have so much faith in me. Could you possibly extract your limbs from me now?”

“No you don’t get it. This isn’t your life. We’re hunters. We were in Hawaii hunting a djinn when you got attacked,” Harley says extracting her limbs from Chase, “All this is fake.”

Chase looks at Harley with an increasing degree of bewilderment on her face as Harley continues to talk. “Uh huh, sure. And you and I haven’t been roommates since college, you’re not engaged to my brother, I’m not about to work for the high end firm I’ve been trying for years to get, and Sam isn’t a bad singer.”

“I’m sorry what?! Me and I’m assuming, Dean are engaged? Wow this is a weird world you’ve created.”

“Dean and I.” Chase gives Harley a blank look. “And no. Sam.”

“Me and Sam?! What the actual fuck!”

“Sam and I. And that was sarcasm, dumbass. How much sleep did you get last night?”

“None. Vampire remember.”

“Okay, so no more mixing alcohol and horror movies for you. Got it.” Chase stands up from her seat. “You should probably get some rest. You’re not acting like yourself.”

“I don’t drink. The whole murderous bloodlust thing doesn’t mix well with alcohol. And I am acting like myself, because I african dream rooted into your brain.”

“Okay, so do I have to go along with what I’m assuming is another improv thing or can I ask- what the hell is african dream root and what is going on?”

“Improv? Okay. Well african dream root lets you go into other people’s dream so you can talk to them-”

“Uh huh, sounds fake but continue,” Chase says, waving a hand.

“And you got touched by a djinn while we were on vacation in Hawaii.” Harley says increasingly impatiently.

“Wait, we went to hawaii?” Chase thinks for a moment. “Djinn. Djinn, djinn, why does that ring a bell? Isn’t that like a genie. Like Aladdin?”

**“You stupid Aladdin character looking ass,” Chase mutters, dropping her phone after the figure makes a swipe at her. The woman, djinn, grins at her, reaching out a hand.

“Chase? Chase!” **

Chase lurches forward, a hand on her head, as though suddenly dizzy.

“Yes! Thank god! Yes!”

“What was that?”

“My best bet? You remembered something from your real life.”

“This is my real life,” Chase says forcefully. “My name is Chase Winchester. I am a graduate from Harvard, I volunteer at the library, and you’re my best friend. I’m twenty-eight. I’m going to be your maid of honor. Bobby and Ellen are practically my parents and my two brothers are Sam and Dean. This is real,” Chase says, as though trying to convince herself more than Harley.

“No, it’s not. Travelling across the country in Jack is real. You relentlessly teasing me about the fact that I might like Dean. You totally crushing on Cas, and us saving the world. That’s real.”

“Who’s Cas?”

“An angel and a friend. He gave us pie.”

**“Harley? Chase? Are you two okay?” Cas asks.

Chase nods, whilst Harley can barely breathe enough to answer, just putting a thumbs up. “Yeah, we’re fine. Why do you ask?” Chase asks nonchalantly.

“You were running, screaming, and you’ve got burns on your arm.”

Chase looks down to see that the bleach that had spilled on her earlier had indeed burned her slightly. “Oh this is nothing. Harley got some in her eyes, so I mean. It’s whatever.”

Cas frowns at Chase. He moves one of his hands, both of which were still holding onto Chase’s biceps, and places it over the burns. A second later, they’re gone.

“Oh, thanks. Anyway, you can let go of me now. I’m sure I’m less inclined to fall at the given moment.”

“Oh, right, yes. Of course, I’m sorry,” Cas stutters, stepping back. **

Chase clutches her head with both hands, her vision blurring and refocusing suddenly, leaving a nauseous feeling in her stomach.

“What the hell is going on?!”

“I think you wanted this life so bad you repressed your actual memories and now they’re coming back. But that's just a theory.”

“What?” Chase asks incredulously. “Tell me, if this isn’t real. What is? You?”

“Well, yeah, like I said I african dream rooted myself. Now I’m in your dream world.”

“Convince me then. Go on. Tell me what you know about me.”

“We met when I was twenty and you were twenty-one. We were chasing an orange eyed demon who went by Hank. We started helping each other on hunts. You won Jack, that’s our car, in a poker game a year later and we finally hit the road together and we haven’t looked back since. I also happen to know you have a folder on your computer that’s just pictures of me and Dean sleeping.”

“Wait, you know about that folder?”

“Yes, I know about that folder and it’s all perfectly innocent.”

“How? I hid it behind a folder of lore on poltergeists, which you never read about-” Chase cuts herself off, frowning. “I don’t know where that came from. I don’t have any folders on my computer like that.”

“You do on your real computer.”

“But-but- Keep telling me stuff.”

“We went to visit Sam at Stanford then went to go fight a sphinx. We hunted the demon that killed your mum and dad. You found out I’m half vamp when I got kidnapped by some friendly vampires who were trying to prove a point. We have fought so many monsters together and this one is no different. You gotta believe me.”

Chase, confused and slightly dazed by the rush of images flooding her brain, notices Harley beginning to freak out. “Okay, say I believe you. Then what do I do?”

“Well, um, you have to kill yourself,” Harley says looking away, her voice strained.

Chase blinks. She blinks twice. “Come again?”

“You have to kill yourself.”

“Yeah, let me go take a long walk off a short pier. How am I supposed to kill myself? I haven’t shot a gun since I was twelve! I haven’t held a knife outside the kitchen ever. And I see no rope or high ledges because I'm not crazy!”

“Well, that’s how Dean got out.”

“You got something to help me then?” Chase asks jokingly, only for her eyes to widen as she sees Harley pull a silver knife covered in blood out of her jacket. “Okay, what the fuck?”

“I killed a djinn with it, and stabbed a lamb. So it’s not the cleanest blade ever, but it’ll get the job done.”

“You killed- you stabbed a- of course you did. Hand it over.”

Harley hands the knife over.

“Okay, Harley. I’m going to go through this logically. If you’re messing with me, you wouldn’t give me an actual knife. This is fake or you’ll somehow stop me and it’ll be fine. Or, if I’m dreaming, I’ll wake up because your brain can’t process dying so you wake up when you die in dreams.

“Or, or somehow. In some fucked up way, you’re telling the truth. Tell me. What is it worth to go back?”

“For starters you’ll die if you stay in here. And also none of the people here are real. None of this is real. Cas isn’t here. Trust me you wanna wake up.”

Chase pauses for a moment, fear reflecting in her eyes. Screwing her eyes shut, her face scrunched in concentration, she pulls the knife towards her, a stinging sensation rushing through her abdomen before she feels nothing.

***

Chase opens her eyes to see Harley hovering over her, worry etched onto her features.

“Man, no need to look so worried. When have I ever turned down the offer to kill myself?” Chase jokes. Harley cracks a smile, shaking her head. “I know, I know, that was awful. Can we get going though? If we don’t call Dean in the next half hour, he’ll freak.”

“It’s kinda almost morning.”

“Wait, already? Shit. I’m still so tired,” Chase says, sitting up. She winces. “And sore.”

“It’s fine we’ll just say we had an early night. Let's get to the hotel and you can rest up.” Harley says as she shoots Sam a text.

“Wait, did you really kill a lamb successfully without freaking out?”

“No. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Chase sighs. “Figures. Let’s head back.”

***

Harley dialled Dean as Chase slept recuperating from her djinn ordeal. He picked up on the first ring.

“Before you say anything, sorry, we fell asleep early.”

“Bullshit! Y’all never fall asleep early!” Dean yells. Harley has to hold the phone away from her ear.

“Yeah, well we spent all day hiking, walking, and swimming, so we got a bit exhausted. Sorry. Look I just woke up, Chase is still out. What more do you want from me?”

“I want a lot from you, but right now I want an explanation.”

“You want a lot from me? Like what?”

“I want you screaming my name as I fuck you against the motel table.”

“Dean!” Harley yells. “I told you I don’t mess around like that.”

“I know,” Dean sighs defeated.

***

Chase and Harley sigh heavily, their bags falling off their shoulders as they slump against the wall.

“Remind me again to choose a later time to fly out from wherever we are. I never want to get to an airport that early again,” Chase complains.

Harley nods, grabbing her water bottle. “Where are the boys anyway? Weren’t they supposed to be here?”

“Who knows?” Chase rolls her eyes. “Dean probably got distracted by something. Or maybe they got lost. That’s something they would do.”

“The only place Dean gets lost is in New York,” Harley counters.

“Yeah, but Sam?”

“Yeah, but Dean’s probably driving.”

“Oh, I meant in the airport. God knows, they probably didn’t bother looking at the signs.”

“Probably not,” Harley sighs.

Chase sighs, sliding her back down the wall, settling into a comfortable position. “Tell me when they get here.”

“When,” Harley says as the boys round the corner.

“What?” Chase opens her eyes to see Sam, an annoyed expression gracing his features, and Dean, an uncomfortable one on his. “Of fucking course.”

“Sorry it took so long; we thought we could beeline here, but it’s been a while since we’ve been in an airport,” Sam says, side eyeing Dean.

Dean immediately just hugs Harley, who had opened her arms slightly, indicating she wanted attention. Sam helps Chase off the floor, before grabbing her bags.

Harley and Chase share a knowing look, stifling a laugh that screams, ‘knew it’.

Rolling his eyes, Dean kisses Harley’s forehead, before reaching down and grabbing her luggage.

Walking out of the airport, Dean and Sam pester them with questions about their trip. They, in turn, pester the boys about what they’d been doing in their absence.

“I’m just happy we’re back,” Harley says, getting into the backseat of the Impala.

Chase nods, “Me too.”

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Heaven and Hell

“Excuse me?” Chase demands, breaking through the silence.

“You want Anna? Why?” Sam asks.

“Out of the way,” Uriel commands, taking a step forward.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, I know she's wiretapping your angel chats or whatever, but it's no reason to gank her.”

“Don’t worry,” Uriel smiles cruelly. “I’ll kill her gently.”

“Like hell you will!” Chase says.

“You’re some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?” Dean asks.

“As a matter of fact, we are. And?” Cas says.

Chase frowns at him, brows creasing in disappointment. “What?” She whispers softly.

“And? Anna's an innocent girl,” Sam states.

“She is far from innocent,” Cas says.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means she's worse than this abomination you've been screwing. Now give us the girl.”

“Uriel, you absolute motherfucker, I am so close to-”

“Chase, enough!” Castiel says. Chase doesn’t respond, just choosing to glare at him. Cas shifts uncomfortably and looks away.

“Give her to us,” Uriel repeats.

“Sorry. Get yourself another one. Try JDate,” Dean says.

“What’s JDate?” Harley asks.

“A Jewish dating site,” Dean responds.

“Huh,” Harley hums, before turning serious again.

“Who's gonna stop us? You three?” Uriel questions. “How about the halfbreed? Or this demon whore?”

Uriel throws Ruby against the wall, punctuating his statement. Dean, alongside Harley, goes to attack him as Cas approaches Sam and Chase.

“Cas, please,” Chase says. Cas places three fingers on Sam’s forehead, making him collapse to the floor.

Just as Cas is about to touch Chase’s forehead, her hair falling into her face, as she stands shaking her head, a bright white light fills the room.

The three conscious hunters and Ruby squint their eyes, before slowly opening them to see Uriel and Cas gone.

Chase helps Sam to his feet, and they all hear Dean in the backroom.

“Anna! Anna!” he shouts.

They all rush to the door of the backroom to see Anna, arms bloodied, with a drawn symbol on the mirror behind her. She looks at them with wide eyes, pale face displaying fear.

“Are they- are they gone?”

“Did you kill them?” Chase asks, fear evident in her voice.

“No, I sent them away. Far away.”

Chase sighs in relief.

“You want to tell us how?” Harley asks, intrigued. She sends a smirk to Chase, who shakes her head, mouthing, ‘Not now’.

Anna gestures to the symbol. “That just popped in my head. I don’t know how I did it. I just...did it.”

Harley snaps a picture of the symbol on her phone so they can memorise it later.

***

The four hunters stand away from Ruby and Anna discussing what to do next.

“So, what do we think?” Dean asks.

“I think Anna's getting more interesting by the second,” Sam says.

“Yeah, I agree. And what did they mean by ‘she's not innocent’?”

“What was that spell too? I mean that’s some serious shit,” Harley says.

“Something's going on with her. See what you can find out,” Dean says.

“What’re you gonna do?” Chase asks.

“Anna may have sent the angels to the outfield, but, sooner or later, they're gonna be back. We got to get ourselves safe now.”

“Bobby’s,” Harley and Chase chorus.

“And Ruby’s riding with us.” Harley says sternly.

***

Chase, Harley, Dean, and Anna sit in Bobby’s panic room with Ruby standing in the doorway.

“Iron walls drenched in salt. Demons can't even touch the joint.” Dean says.

“Which I find racist, by the way.” Ruby mentions.

“Write your congressman.”

“Pretty sure you mean speciesist.”

“Harley,” Chase starts. “You totally just made that up.”

“I didn’t! It is a word.”

“If you insist.”

“It is! Look it up.”

“Sure.”

“I give up.”

Ruby rolls her eyes, throwing them all hex bags.

“Hex bags?” Dean questions.

“Extra-crunchy. They'll hide us from angels, demons, all comers,” Ruby replies.

“Thanks, Ruby,” Dean says quietly before turning to Anna, “Don't lose that. So, Anna, what's playing on angel radio? Anything useful?”

“It's quiet. Dead silence,” Anna answers.

“That’s totally not worrying at all,” Harley says sarcastically.

“I don’t even know what the word worry means,” Chase adds.

“We're in trouble, huh? You guys are scared?” Anna asks.

“Psht, scared?” Chase comments.

“What’s scared?” Harley asks.

“Hey, guys!” They heard Sam yell from the other room.

“Just stay here, okay?” Dean says to Anna before addressing Ruby, “Keep an eye on her.”

***

“How’s the car?” Dean asks Sam.

“I got her. She’s fine. Where’s Bobby?”

“Uh, Dominican,” Chase answers. “He said if we break anything, we buy it.”

“He’s working a job?” Sam assumes.

“God, I sure hope so,” Dean says. “Otherwise, he's at hedonism in a banana hammock and a trucker cap.”

“And now that’s seared into my brain,” Harley sighs.

“All right. What did you find about Anna?” Chase asks.

Sam shrugs. “Nothing much. Her parents were, uh, Rich and Amy Milton -- a church deacon and a housewife.”

“Riveting,” Dean interrupts.

Chase silences him with a look.

“Yeah. But there is something here in the report. Turns out this latest psych episode wasn't her first.”

Chase tilts her head. “It’s not?”

“When she was 2 1/2, she'd get hysterical any time her dad got close. She was convinced that he wasn't her real daddy.”

“Who was?” Dean asks. “The plumber, hmm? A little snaking the pipes?”

“Dude, you’re confusing reality with porn again,” Sam says. Both Harley and Chase have to stifle laughter. Sam continues, “Look, Anna didn't say. She just kept repeating that this real father of hers was mad. Very mad -- like wanted-to-kill-her mad.”

“That’s a little heavy for a two year old,” Harley says.

“Well, she saw a kid's shrink, got better, and grew up normal.”

“Until now,” Harley adds.

“So what’s she hiding?” Dean asks.

“Why don’t you just ask me to my face?” Anna asks from behind the group. They all jump and turn to see Anna appearing from a doorway, Ruby watching from behind her in amusement.

“Aren’t you supposed to be watching her?” Chase asks.

“I am watching her.”

“Touche.”

“Anna’s right. Is there anything you want to tell us?” Sam asks Anna.

Anna shakes her head. “About what?”

“The angels said you were guilty of something. Why would they say that?”

“You tell me,” Anna demands. “You tell me why my life has been leveled,” she pauses, emotion bubbling up in her voice. She forces it down. “Why my parents are dead. I don’t know. I swear, I would give anything to know.”

“Okay, so let’s find out,” Chase says, a thoughtful, serious look on her face.

“How?” Dean and Harley chorus, glancing at Chase.

Chase smiles at them knowingly.

***

“We’re here,” Chase announces, entering the room. A familiar figure walks in after her. Chase goes to stand behind Sam and Dean, closest to Harley.

“Pamela!” Sam says in surprise.

“Sam?” Pamela asks, feigning confusion.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Sam?” Pamela asks once more, a hand out, moving forward tentatively. “Is that you?”

“I’m right here.”

Sam approaches Pamela and goes to give her a hug. “Oh,” she says. “You wanna know how I knew it was you?” Sam pulls back from the hug, slightly confused. Pamela grabs a handful of his ass, causing him to jump slightly. “That perky little ass of yours. You could bounce a nickel off that thing.”

“Of course I know it's you, grumpy. I know the other three Winchesters are behind you. Same way I know that's a demon, and that poor girl's Anna and that you've been eyeing my rack.”

“I’m not a Winchester,” Harley says.

“Yet,” coughs Chase from beside her. Harley seems to be the only one to hear, leading her to nudge Chase in the ribcage; hard.

Pamela shrugs. “You might as well be.”

“Uh, uh,” Sam stutters, looking up and away from Pamela’s chest, a pink tinge on his cheeks from embarrassment.

“Don't sweat it, kiddo. I still got more senses than most.”

“Got it,” Sam nods.

“Hey, Anna. How are you? I'm Pamela.”

Anna looks at the others, confused, before looking back at Pamela. “Hi.”

“Chase told me what's been going on. I'm excited to help,” Pamela says with a smile.

“Oh, that’s nice of you.”

“Not really. Any chance I can dick over an angel, I’m taking it.”

“Why?” Anna asks hesitantly.

“They stole something from me,” Pamela responds eerily. She takes off her sunglasses, revealing white eyes. Pamela smiles as though sensing Anna’s sudden shock of fear. “Demon-y, I know. But they're just plastic. Good for business. Makes me look extra-psychic, don't you think? Now...how about you tell me what your deal is? Hmm? Don't you worry.”

Pamela begins to explain the process of what she’ll be doing to Anna to her and the group. “Nice and relaxed. Now, I'm going to count down from five to zero. When we're at zero, you'll be in a deep state of hypnosis. As I count down, just go deeper and deeper, okay? 5... 4... 3... 2... 1. Deep sleep. Deep sleep. Every muscle calm and relaxed. Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” Anna responds calmly. Her eyes are shut and she seems more at peace than she has since the Winchesters, plus Harley and Ruby, had found her.

“Now, Anna, tell me... How can you hear the angels? How did you work that spell?”

“I don't know. I just did.”

“Your father... What's his name?”

“Rich Milton.”

“All right. But I want you to look further back... When you were very young... Just a couple of years old.”

“I don't want to.”

“It'll be okay. Anna, just one look - that's all we need.”

“No.”

“What's your dad's name? Your real dad. Why is he angry at you?”

“No. No! No,” Anna screams, “No!”

“Calm down.”

Anna screams again, “He's gonna kill me!”

“Anna, you're safe.”

“No!” She screams. The lights burst and glass explodes everywhere.

“Calm down.”

Again she screamed, “He’s gonna kill me!”

“It's all right, Anna.”

“Anna?” Dean calls out, walking toward her.

“Dean, don’t.” Pamela says just before he gets thrown across the room. “Wake in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Anna... Anna? You all right?”

“Thank you, Pamela. That helps a lot. I remember now.” Anna’s entire demeanor has changed. While before, she seemed timid, confused, and shy, yet sweet as honey and fiery too, she now is stoic. Her face stays blank as she peers at Pamela, no emotion on her face or in her eyes. Her voice doesn’t waver.

“Remember what?” Chase asks.

“Who I am.”

Chase raises a brow. “Well, ain’t that vague.”

“And you are?” Harley prods.

“I’m an angel. Don't be afraid, I'm not like the others.” Anna says, trying to reassure the hunters, psychic, and demon. It must be extremely easy to sense that many people immediately going on guard, a couple of hands reaching for weapons just in case.

“I don't find that very reassuring,” Ruby discloses.

“Neither do I,” Pamela agrees.

“So...Castiel, Uriel - they're the ones that came for me?” Anna asks.

“You know them?” Sam inquires.

“We were kind of in the same foxhole,” Anna says mildly.

“So, what? They were like your bosses or something?” Chase asks.

“Try the other way around.”

“Look at you,” Dean says combatively.

“So now they want to kill you?” Harley asks, hoping for some clarification.

“Orders are orders. I'm sure I have a death sentence on my head,” Anna responds smoothly, as though the thought was equal to saying she was sure the sky was blue.

“Why?” Pamela asks, suspicious.

“I disobeyed... which, for us, is about the worst thing you can do. I fell.”

“Meaning?” Dean asks.

“She fell to earth, became human,” Chase says.

“Wait a minute. I don't understand. So, angels can just become human?” Sam asks.

“It kind of hurts. Try cutting your kidney out with a butter knife. That kind of hurt. I ripped out my grace.”

“Come again?” Dean asks.

“My grace. It's... energy. Hacked it out and fell. My mother, Amy, couldn't get pregnant. Always called me her little miracle. She had no idea how right she was.”

“So, you just forgot that you were God's little Power Ranger?” Dean asks jokingly.

“The older I got, the longer I was human, yeah.”

“I don't think you all appreciate how completely screwed we are,” Ruby chimes in.

Anna nods to her. “Ruby’s right. Heaven wants me dead.”

“And Hell just wants her. A flesh-and-blood angel that you can question, torture, that bleeds. Sister, you're the Stanley Cup. And sooner or later, Heaven or Hell, they're gonna find you.”

“I know,” Anna responds. “That’s why I’m going to get it back.”

“Get what back?”

“My grace.”

“You can do that?” Dean asks.

“If I can find it.”

“So, what, you're just gonna take some divine bong hit, and, shazam, you're Roma Downey?” Dean asks.

“Something like that,” Anna responds, meeting Dean’s eyes. She doesn’t seem amused by all his jokes and side comments.

“Where might it be?” Chase asks. “If we can get it back, that’s the best option we got.”

“Lost track. I was falling about 10,000 miles per hour at the time.”

“Wait, you mean falling literally,” Harley realizes. “Lovely.”

“Like the way a human eye can see? Like a comet, maybe, or a meteor?” Sam asks suddenly.

“Why do you ask?” Anna asks.

***

Harley, Chase, Sam and Ruby find themselves to be surrounded by old books and magazines. Dean just left to drop Pamela off at home, while Anna is doing who knows what. She’d claimed she wanted alone time, so they let her be.

Sam’s flipping through the pages of one, before he finally lands on one. “Here. In march '85, a meteorite vanished in the night sky over northwestern Ohio. It was sighted nine months before Anna was born, and she was born in that part of Ohio.”

Ruby looks Sam up and down, “You're pretty buff for a nerd.” Chase rolls her eyes at Ruby’s comment.

“Look, I think it was Anna and here, same time - another meteor over Kentucky.” Sam says ignoring Ruby.

“And that’s her grace?”

“Might be.”

“All right. That just narrows it down to an entire state.”

“At least it narrows it down,” Chase sighs.

Ruby rolls her eyes, “Sam...I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Sam asks.

“For bringing you this mess. If I had known, I would have kept my trap shut.”

“Yeah, well, we'll muddle through.”

“Not this time. You do not want to get between these two armies. It's Godzilla and Mothra. If one side doesn't get us, the other one will.”

“So, what do you want to do? Dump Anna and run? Forget it. Look, I know the angels freak you out.”

“Forget the angels. It's Alastair I'm scared of.”

“Then vamoose your caboose and let us handle it,” Harley points out, earning an eye roll to match her best friend’s.

“Alastair?” Sam questions.

“You met him in the church. Practically the grand inquisitor downstairs. Picasso with a razor,” Ruby answers.

“And?” Harley asks.

“And he should pull him out and throw him back in the pit... if he weren't so out of shape.”

“Ruby…” Sam says, it’s almost a plea.

“No, your abilities - you're getting flabby.”

“Yeah, so how do I tone up?”

“You know how. You know what you got to do.”

“No, I'm not doing that anymore.”

“Sam…”

“I said no.”

“Well, then you better pray that Anna gets her groove back, or we're all dead.”

***

Sam leads Dean and Anna to the table Harley and Chase occupy. Sam is pointing at a newspaper article from several years before.

“Union, Kentucky. Found some accounts of a local miracle.”

“Yeah?” Dean asks, interested.

“What kind of miracle?” Chase asks.

“I’m assuming the miracle kind,” Harley notes.

“Yeah. In '85, there was an empty field outside of town. Six months later, there was a full-grown oak. They say it looks a century old at least,” Sam says, animatedly explaining what he’d read.

“Anna, what do you think?” Dean asks, turning to the red haired girl.

“The grace. Where it hit, it could have done something like that, easy.”

“So grace ground zero -- it's not destruction. It's…” Dean trails off.

“Pure creation,” Anna confirms.

***

“So,” Chase breaks the silence as they drive along the dark road. “How long do you think before Ruby says something she isn’t supposed to?”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” Harley sighs.

“What would be worse though? Dean finding out you have a crush on him or me having a crush on Cas?” Chase blanks, freezing.

“Oh my God,” Harley says.

“No-no that isn’t what I meant and you know it! Shut up, shut up right now!”

“I can’t believe you just admitted it!”

“No, that isn’t what I meant. I meant it like, it would be bad if Dean thinks I have a crush on him and like “finds out” I do,” Chase tries to defend, putting air quotes around the words ‘finds out’. “Not that I actually have a crush on Cas, because I don’t. You know?”

“Sure you don’t.”

“I don’t!”

Harley simply hums as they continue behind the Impala, the darkness around them growing thicker as they head to Kentucky, a short twelve hour drive.

***

“It’s beautiful,” Dean and Chase chorus, staring at the wondrous oak tree, gigantic in size.

“It’s where the grace touched down. I can feel it,” Anna says.

Chase shivers, immediately knowing what Anna’s referring to. The power resonating from the area is dull, probably from how many years it lay dormant, but still there nonetheless. It felt surreal.

“You ready to do this?” Harley asks.

Anna smiles slightly, shaking her head. “Not really.”

They all approach the tree, looking around for a sign of what and where the grace might be.

“What are we looking for?” Sam says after a few moments.

Anna, placing a hand on the tree, frowns. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?” Chase asks, mimicking Anna, as though she could tell what was going through her head.

Anna makes eye contact with them, slowly sweeping her gaze from one to the other, before landing on Chase, whose question still lays unanswered in the still air. “Because it’s no longer here.”

***

“We still got the hex bags. I say we head back to the panic room,” Dean says hurriedly.

“What, forever?” Ruby demands.

“I’m just thinking out loud here!”

“Oh, you call that thinking?”

“Ruby, can it!” Chase snaps.

“Oh, whatever you say, angel-lover.”

“At least I know to stay away from trash!”

“Chase, cool it,” Harley says, not bothering to hide the smile on her face.

“No! No, go on! Got anything else to say?” Ruby asks, approaching Chase. Sam grabs Ruby by the arm as Dean puts himself in front of Chase. Harley just watches in amusement.

“Hey! Hey, hey, hey. Stop it,” Sam says.

“Anna's grace is gone. You understand? She can't angel up. She can't protect us. We can't fight Heaven and Hell. One side maybe, but not both. Not at once. And your favorite angel is fighting against us as much as everyone else is, so get over it.”

“Um, guys?” Anna interrupts softly. “The angels are talking again.”

“What are they saying?” Sam asks.

“It's weird... Like a recording... a loop. It says, "Dean Winchester gives us Anna by midnight, or..."

“Or what?” Dean demands.

Anna looks up, discomfort plainly displaying itself. “Or we hurl him back into damnation.”

“Who is it?” Chase asks suddenly.

“What?” Anna asks, tilting her head.

“Who is it? Saying that. Who the hell is threatening my family?”

Anna stays silent for a moment. “Chase,” she begins.

“Tell me.”

“It’s Castiel’s voice.”

Chase takes a step back, betrayal, then anger crossing over her features. “I am going to kill that feathery, flighty, stupid, son of a bitch.” Her voice is slow and controlled - Murderous. Harley puts a comforting hand on Chase’s shoulder, but Chase shrugs her off. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. We knew they would stoop low to get Anna back.”

Sam’s eyes light up. “Chase, you’re brilliant!”

“I am. What’s your point?”

“Anna.. Do you know of any weapon that works on an angel? To what? To kill them?”

Anna sighs. “Nothing we could get to. Not right now.”

“Okay, wait, wait. I say we call Bobby. We get him back from hedonism.”

“Dean, what's he gonna tell us that we don't already know?” Sam asks.

“I don’t know,” Dean cries out. “But we’ve got to think of something!”

***

“Don't talk like that,” Dean says softly. Chase slows her footsteps. She’d been following Anna out to ask if she was okay, but “accidentally” overheard part of their conversation. She on purpose stays to hear the rest.

“I disobeyed. Lucifer disobeyed. It's our murder one, and I knew it. Maybe I got to pay.”

“Yeah, well, we've all done things we got to pay for.”

“I got to tell you something. You're not gonna like it,” Anna says.

A pause ensues. Chase curses herself for being short, because now she is awkwardly hiding behind a car, and now can’t see what is happening. “Okay,” Dean says slowly. “What?”

“About a week ago, I heard the angels talking... About you... What you did in Hell. Dean, I know. It wasn't your fault. You should forgive yourself.”

Chase frowns. ‘Excuse me?’

“Anna, I don't w-want to, uh... I don't want to... I can't talk about that.” Dean’s voice is flighty, causing Chase to frown deeper.

“I know. But when you can, you have people that want to help. You are not alone. That's all I'm trying to say.”

Another pause, longer than the previous one interrupts their conversation. “What was that for?” Dean finally asks.

‘Did Anna just kiss Dean?!’

“You know. Our last night on earth. All of that.”

“You’re stealing my best line,” Dean says jokingly. “But…”

“But?”

A short pause. Again, Chase curses her inconvenient hiding spot.

“Ah,” Anna continues. “I see.”

‘See what?’ Chase asks herself. ‘I can’t see anything!’

“Yeah,” Dean says awkwardly. “But not how you think.”

“You can’t keep running from everything, Dean.”

“I can sure as Hell try,” Dean says. He’s obviously intending for it to come across as a joke, but Chase can hear the underlying seriousness.

“She’s lucky.”

‘She?’

Dean laughs. “Not likely.”

“Give yourself more credit than that. I’m sure you’re not as alone in your intentions as you believe.”

‘Intentions? Like what? Who the hell are they talking about?’

“She could never feel the same.”

‘OH MY GOD,’ Chase thinks to herself, trying to keep from squealing. A hand is clapped over her mouth tightly, as she frantically puts the pieces together. ‘They’re talking about Harley!!! I fucking knew it!’

“Don’t be so sure,” Anna says knowingly.

“We should get inside,” Dean says. “It’s a bit cold out here.”

Chase balks, before rushing up towards the house again.

“Did you hear something?” Anna asks.

Dean’s voice fades to nothing as Chase closes the door. “Probably just an animal.”

Chase grins widely to herself, before rushing off to relay the events to Harley.

***

“I don't know, man. Where's Ruby?” Sam asks. Chase and Harley shrug.

“Hey, she's your Hell buddy,” Dean says, taking a long drink from his flask.

“Little early for that, isn't it?” Anna asks him. Dean gives her a lopsided smile.

“It’s 2 a.m. somewhere.”

“You okay?” Anna asks, eyebrows furrowing together.

“Yeah, of course.”

The doors rattle, distracting everyone, before they burst open. Castiel and Uriel enter. Chase subconsciously steps in front of Dean, glaring harshly at Castiel.

“Hello, Anna. It's good to see you,” Castiel says, inclining his head towards her.

“Bullshit,” Chase says, “Why are you here?”

Castiel glances at Chase with confusion in his eyes, before ignoring her, which just seems to rub salt into an unknown wound.

“How? How did you find us?” Cas and Uriel glance at Dean. Sam and everyone else looks to him in shock. “Dean?”

“I'm sorry,” Dean says to Anna.

“Why?” Harley asks.

“Because they gave him a choice. They either kill me... or kill all of you. I know how their minds work.”

Anna gives Dean a tight hug, pecking him on the cheek. “You did the best you could. I forgive you. Okay. No more tricks. No more running. I'm ready.”

Harley stiffens at Anna’s actions, but Chase just sends her a knowing smile, which confuses her enough to distract her.

“I’m sorry,” Castiel says.

“No, you’re really not,” Anna replies. “You don’t know the feeling.”

“Still, we have a history. It’s just-”

“I get it. Orders are orders.” Anna sighs. “I know. Just make it quick.”

Suddenly, the barn gets colder. Alastair, Ruby, and another demon appear in the barn. Ruby is covered in blood, causing everyone to look at her in shock, some looking at her with concern.

“How dare you come in this room... you pussing sore?” Uriel asks, spitting the words to Alastair.

“That is literally the first fucking thing that you’ve said that I don’t find absolutely vile. Good job. Progress,” Chase says.

“Shut up, you repulsive-”

“Aaand, you’re back to square one,” Chase tsks.

“Turn around and walk away now,” Castiel says to Alastair and his demon cronies.

“Think I’ll take my chances,” Alastair replies.

The angels and demons begin fighting, Castiel trying to exorcise Alastair. Harley wondered why he wasn’t trying to smite him.

“Sorry, kiddo. Why don't you go run to daddy?” Alastair taunts as one of his cronies collapses because Uriel exorcises him. “Potestas inferna, me confirma. Potestas inferna, me confirma. Potestas inferna, me confirma!”

Dean hits Alastair on the back of the head with a crowbar.

Alastair turns to Dean, “Dean, Dean, Dean... I am so disappointed. You had such promise.” He goes to attack the four hunters.

While Uriel was dealing with the other cronie Anna steals his necklace and smashes it on the ground. A glowing white light escapes and flows into Anna’s mouth.

“Shut your eyes. Shut your eyes! Shut your eyes!” Anna yells. The Winchesters and Co. do as she says, opening them after a flash of light dissipates. Alastair was gone leaving the knife. Anna poofed away, finally having gotten her grace back.

“Well, what are you guys waiting for? Go get Anna. Unless, of course, you're scared,” Dean taunts.

“This isn't over,” Uriel says almost threateningly.

“Oh, is it? Because you don’t seem to have any more moves to make,” Harley points out.

“Silence halfbreed.”

“Don’t call her that, you dick!” defends Dean.

“And why not? It’s what the abomination is.”

“She’s not an abomination. She’s my best friend.”

“It’s fine, Dean. I don’t give a shit about his opinion anyway,” Harley says, “It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.”

Castiel and Uriel poof off to God knows where.

“But you are,” Dean says softly.

Chase and Sam seeing a potential moment make themselves scarce and head to the other side of the barn.

“I am what?” Harley asks, confusion evident in her voice.

“Worth it,” Dean says, “I know you don’t think you are, but-”

“Excuse you? I’m amazingly fabulous.”

“Don’t give me that crap. I know you. Maybe not as well as Chase, but I know you.”

“I’m not giving you crap.”

“Harley for someone who wanted to act, you're a terrible liar. I know all your bravado is bullshit. We all do.”

“So what?”

“So I want you to know you’re worth it.”

“I’m not though Dean. I’m just another monster.”

Dean begins walking toward her stopping when they’re inches away. He pulls her into a hug, and she gladly accepts.

“You’re not a monster.” Dean softly says into her ear.

“How do you know that?”

“Because I...you try to do the right thing, even if you don’t know what it is.”

“Can we just stay here for a while?”

“We can do anything you want sweetheart,” Dean says with a suggestive undertone.

Harley laughs it off thinking it’s just Dean being his flirty self. They just stand there in each other’s arms for what feels like forever and no time at all.

***

“What took you so long to get here?” Deans asks Ruby upon entering the room where she had been talking with Sam and Chase. She rolls her eyes at him.

“Sorry I'm late with the demon delivery. I was only being tortured,” she replies sarcastically.

“I got to hand it to you, Sammy. Bringing them all together all at once -- angels and demons. It was a damn good plan.”

“Yeah, well, when you got Godzilla and Mothra on your ass, best to get out of their way and let them fight.”

“Now you’re just bragging,” Chase says.

“What’s wrong with bragging?” Harley asks jokingly. “You do it all the time.”

Chase shrugs. “I’m not bragging. At that point, I’m simply stating facts.”

“That is bragging. You are literally bragging right now,” Sam laughs.

Chase waves him off. “I’m just glad Anna’s okay.”

“So, I guess she's some big-time angel now, huh? She must be happy... Wherever she is,” Sam says.

“I doubt it,” Dean adds.

They all frown at his words, letting them sink in.

***

Chase all but squeals as she starts the car. Harley shoots her an odd look, but Chase just smiles widely at her. “Oh my God, I have so much to tell you!”

“Okay? What do you have to tell me?” Harley asks, paranoid.

“Dean likes you!”

“Not this again. Every time we’re in the car.”

“Oh, hush!” Chase frowns. “That’s only cause I can’t say this in front of other people. I mean I can. I just thought you’d appreciate me being a bit more discreet about it. Anyhoo, I overheard Anna and Dean talking about it.”

“Did he actually say he likes me?”

“Well, no, but-” “So you have no proof. That what you’re telling me?”

“Wellll.” Chase sighs. “Okay, so here’s what happened. I was hiding because I overheard Anna and Dean talking and they were talking about Dean’s time in Hell. All very vague, and I’m not sure what it was about. Then Anna kisses Dean-”

“So?” Harley asks curtly.

Chase rolls her eyes. “‘So?’” she says mockingly. “Soooo. Dean is all ‘what was that for’ and Anna is all ‘last night on earth’ and Dean’s all ‘you’re stealing my best line but-’ and then Anna is like ‘But?’ and there’s this pause. I’m pretty sure Dean looked over at where we were, because Anna just goes ‘oh, I see’ and then is like ‘she’s lucky’ after telling him he can’t run from everything.”

“Did you actually see where he was looking?”

“Well, no, but- Don’t interrupt me, I’m not finished!” Chase huffs. “Anyway, as I was saying. Dean says he can certainly try and then Anna tells him that his intentions are not one sided, meaning there are intentions there and that she has noticed it being reciprocated, which mean she had to have been talking about you and Dean, and you like Dean, which means he likes you! Get it?”

“So you’re crazy. I don’t even know if I like him yet. I mean I think I might, but I’m not really sure. Besides I thought Dean was all in love with Cassie?”

“That was a fling and was years ago. Why would you think of her of all people?”

“I don’t know maybe because that’s the longest relationship Dean’s ever had?”

“Okay, fair, but like, again. Years ago. And this is something Anna has evidence of and she has no clue who Cassie is so,” Chase says in a ‘duh’ tone of voice.

“She could’ve just picked up on him liking someone and was trying to be nice.”

“Anna. Right. She was just trying to be nice. That makes complete sense,” Chase says in a heavily sarcastic tone. “You’re just being stubborn!”

“I’m always stubborn, besides she was trying to get in his pants right before that.”

“See, that’s true! Which means she simply didn’t know that Dean reciprocated feelings, but she did say she previously saw evidence of them being reciprocated. Ruby hates him, and I’m his sister so that’s an obvious “ew”, so you’re the only one left, and let’s not fool anyone here. Our argument earlier did not go unnoticed by our surrounding companions. She totally knows you got the hots for my brother.”

“I do not have the hots for him! I said I might like him that’s all. Anyway I’m not the kind of person that gets to fall in love.”

“That’s bullshit,” Chase deadpans, suddenly deadly serious. “You’re an amazing, wonderful, kind, loving, hilarious, beautiful person and I’ll be damned before I see you never get a happy ending simply because you believe it when certain dickheads tell you you don’t deserve one. Even if that dickhead is yourself.”

“Okay, that’s very sweet, but I just don’t want to risk falling in love and outliving that person by some vampire superpower.”

“Ummmm. Okay, I don’t have anything to combat that other than, we’re all gonna die one day. I can fall in love with a very humany human person and they could die the next day easily. Just because it will eventually end, you ending up immortal or not, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the time you do have. Don’t let your fear of losing Dean- or anyone, don’t look at me like that- keep you from pursuing something that’ll make you happy now. All I’m saying.”

***

Jack and Baby are parked side by side along the mostly deserted highway, a lookoff point behind them, showcasing scenery that would leave most breathless. However, the four hunters and friends who sit on the hoods of their respective cars don’t look much at scenery. Two hold beers, the boys of the group, while the girls hold water bottles, making faces at Sam and Dean to tease them. Chase and Harley clink their water bottles, mocking Sam and Dean, who’d clinked their beer bottles.

“I can’t believe we made it out of there,” Chase sighs.

“Again,” Sam adds.

Dean and Harley laugh slightly, but note the seriousness of the situation.

“I know you guys heard him,” Dean says.

The other three cast cautious glances at each other before looking to Dean. “Heard who?” Sam asks, feigning ignorance in case Dean would rather shove the topic back under the rug.

“Alastair. What he said about me. About how I have promise.”

“We heard him,” Chase confirms.

“You’re not curious?” Dean asks in surprise.

“Dean, all of us are damn curious, but we’re not gonna pry.”

“You said you didn’t want to talk about Hell,” Harley gently reminds. “So why would we ask? It’d only make you upset.”

“It wasn’t four months, you know,” Dean says.

“What?” Sam asks.

“I think I know how long my brother was gone,” Chase notes.

Dean meets her eyes briefly, before looking away. “I mean, yeah, it was four months up here but. I don’t know. Down there time is different.”

“How long was it?” Harley asks cautiously.

“More like forty years.”

Chase makes a noise of hurt in her throat, and Sam lets out a small, “My God.”, but silence falls on all of them as they gaze at Dean in shock, mingled with horror. Tears shine in Dean’s eyes, further causing the three to be pained- Dean doesn’t often open himself up to vulnerability, so this is obviously difficult, traumatic, and painful for him.

Dean’s voice cracks as he tries to explain to them just a fraction of what he’d gone through. “They, uh... They sliced and carved and tore at me in ways that you... Until there was nothing left. And then, suddenly... I would be whole again... like magic... just so they could start in all over. And Alastair... at the end of every day... every one... he would come over. And he would make me an offer. To take me off the rack... if I put souls on... if I started the torturing.

“And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun shines. For 30 years, I told him. But then I couldn't do it anymore, Sammy.” Dean meets Sam’s eyes, before glancing over at the two girls. “Guys, I just couldn't. And I got off that rack. God help me, I got right off it, and I started ripping them apart. I lost count of how many souls.” A tear escapes, falling down Dean’s face. “The -- the things that I did to them.”

“Dean, you held out for thirty years,” Sam points out.

“That’s longer than most anyone!” Harley adds.

Chase gets up and puts a tentative, but supportive, arm around her brother, who leans in slightly to accept the comfort. “It’s okay, Dean. You did good. You held out longer than I would have, than anyone I know probably could have. You’re gonna be okay.”

“How I feel... This... inside me... I wish I couldn't feel anything. I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing.” Dean finally breaks down further, more tears escaping as he begins to cry. Harley and Chase’s eyes meet over his shoulder as Chase fully hugs him. Tears are shining in both girls’ eyes.

The four hunters stay there in silence as Dean lets out a portion of his pain to let them carry. Chase, Harley, and Sam can’t help the feeling of helplessness they feel. They couldn’t truly help Dean or ever begin to understand what he went through. They could only hold him, let him speak if he wishes to speak, be silent when he wishes to be silent, and constantly remind him they were there.

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angelsandacceptance · 3 years

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Angels and Acceptance Masterlist

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/643389226339139584/lazarus-rising

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/644055913790046208/are-you-there-god-its-me-dean-winchester

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/644658902481436673/the-day-of-the-black-sun

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/645290583994368000/metamorphosis

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/645952839124992000/monster-movie

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/646557032330280960/yellow-fever

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/647187205719261184/its-the-great-pumpkin-sam-winchester

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/647856153222692864/wishful-thinking

https://angelsandacceptance.tumblr.com/post/648491646351179776/i-know-what-you-did-last-summer

26 notes · View notes

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

I Know What You Did Last Summer

A tall brunet stares, amused, at Chase as she slurs her words, tripping slightly over her feet. He grins widely as she flashes him a flirtatious smile. She takes another sip from her almost empty beer; her sixth beer. Not that it matters much.

“So, Eugene,” Chase starts, leaning against her cue stick, gazing at the pool table, which shows an obvious loss on her part. “Wanna, wanna go again? I’m sure I can beat you this time.”

The brunet-Eugene- steps closer to her. “Are you sure?”

Harley takes this opportunity to tug on Chase’s arm. “She’s drunk. She’s not sure of anything.”

“To be fair,” Chase starts, “I’m not sure of anything even when sober. I can do thish.”

Harley gives her a deadpan look. Eugene waves his hand. “She knows what she wants. Here, how about this? We up the bet a little.”

Chase’s eyes shine as she nods overenthusiastically. “Yeah! If I win, which I obviously will,” Chase says, tilting her seventh beer, spilling some of its contents. She frowns at her hand, which now has beer dripping down the side, before continuing with her statement as if it never happened. “You give me five hundred. If you win-”

“If I win, you give me three hundred, and I get to take you with me tonight.”

Harley tries to intervene again.

“Like hell you will. She’s obviously not in her right mind. I can’t stop her from losing all her cash, but I’m not letting her go home with some rando from a bar while she’s sloshed out of her mind.”

Chase blinks. She laughs. “Ish fine,” She slurs.

“Yeah, the lady says it's fine.”

Chase smirks as she lines up her sight, breaking. Four solids go into pockets, causing Eugene’s eyes to grow into saucers. Shooting again, she makes another. Within four shots, including a well placed ricochet, Chase is grabbing the cash from the edge of the pool table. Eugene didn’t take a single shot the entire game.

Turning on her heel, throwing a sarcastic wave over her shoulder, she goes over to find Harley, who’d left in fake-exasperation as Chase waved her off earlier. She frowns, seeing Dean, Sam, and Harley huddled in a small circle, Ruby at its center.

“But I'm thinking that she's important, 'cause the order is to capture her alive. I just figured that whatever the deal is, you might want to find this girl before the demons do,” Ruby says.

“Who’s important?” Chase asks, joining the group, throwing an accusatory glare to Ruby.

“Girl named Anna Milton,” Harley says. She gestures for Ruby to continue.

“Maybe we should take the case,” Sam says.

“We’re actually working on a case,” Dean adds. “But thanks.”

“What case?” Ruby asks.

“We’ve, uh, got big leads,” Dean falters.

Chase rolls her eyes and Harley facepalms.

“Sounds dangerous,” Ruby says sarcastically.

“Yeah, well, it sure ain't goose-chasing after some chick who, for all we know, doesn't even exist, just because you say she's important.”

“I'm just delivering the news. You can do whatever you want with it. Far as I'm concerned, I told you, I'm done.”

Ruby goes to leave, but Sam stops her. “Wait, wait, wait. This hospital Anna escaped from -- it got a name?”

***

Chase drives, speedometer showing a steady ninety, humming along to the music blaring from her radio. Harley turns the volume down a slight bit.

“So did you win?”

Chase scoffs, feigning offense. “Must you even ask?”

“Just making sure.”

Chase laughs slightly. “Yeah, I won. You should have seen the poor guy’s face. I almost felt bad.” She shoots a sideways glance at Harley. “Almost.”

“He was kind of a creep anyway.”

“He was,” Chase agrees, throwing a hand into the air. “The way he looked at me,” she fakes a shudder. “Onto more serious matters, what do you think of the case?”

“I mean it’s not like we had anything beforehand.”

“Not that Dean seemed quick to admit that,” Chase laughs.

“Why is it everytime we’re in Jack and you mention Dean I feel like you’re going to start digging into my love life?”

Chase’s eyebrows raise as she glances at Harley. “Seriously? You literally just brought it up for me. And here I thought you were just gonna mention Ruby. Wow. This is too good. I’ve got you paranoid. Good.”

“It’s a serious question.”

“Well of course it’s serious and you feel like that. You like him.”

“I said I might like him. Might.”

“And I’m saying you do like him, which is why that’s the first thing that comes to mind whenever I mention my brother’s name. Duh.”

“No-it’s because you always question me about it when we’re in Jack.”

“I mean, I could mention it in front of Dean, if you’d like-if you’d rather.”

“No, I would not like that. You’re the worst.”

“I know. It keeps me awake at night. And that’s what I thought. You’d only feel attacked by it if there was truth to my words. Remember that.”

“That is not true. I felt attacked when everybody assumed I was dating my best friend in middle school when I really had a crush on Jordan David Frye.”

“I’m going to assume I know who that is and when and what you are referring to.”

Harley stutters out something, before groaning. “I can’t speak, I’m too flustered.”

“Ha!”

“Shut up!” Harley whines.

“Haha!”

“Shut up!” she whines louder.

“Why are you flustered, hmm?” Harley goes to say shut up again, but Chase cuts her off. “Because I’m right!”

“You are not right! I said might!”

“And? I care why? You also told me that I wouldn’t shock myself if I touched the broken wires in the hotel that once. And what shocked me?”

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”

“And why not?”

“Because everyone knows not to touch exposed live wires!”

“I have zero impulse control! You are literally ninety percent of my impulse control! So now, if you say it’s not going to shock me, then guess what? I’m gonna touch ‘em!”

“It’s common sense!”

“Of which, I have none.”

“Well that became very apparent afterward.”

“I’m glad you finally realized, but also surprised it took so long.”

“I’m surprised you lasted this long without it.”

“Well, trust me, I have a feeling I won’t last much longer. I still have no common sense. But to be fair, neither do you.”

“I- What do you mean?”

“Well, obviously you have no common sense because you keep denying your feelings for my brother. You know. Green eyes, tall, bow-legged. Annoying. Ring a bell?”

“Oh my god. I hate you - I love you- but I hate you.”

“I know,” Chase says smugly, pulling in alongside Baby in the parking lot of a motel. The drive was three days, so everyone agreed they’d stop for the night. Getting out of the car, Dean glances at Harley, confused.

“You alright? You’re looking a little red.”

Chase smirks as Harley blushes deeper, winking at her. “She’s fine. Just lacks common sense, right, Harley?”

“I had to spend an infuriating car ride with your sister.”

“Problem solved then,” Chase starts, her smirk growing to a full-sized grin. “Tomorrow, I call Sam. Since I’m so infuriating, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind spending the day riding with Dean.”

Before Harley can object, Dean smiles at her. “Sounds good to me.”

***

“So what was that back there?” Dean asks, referring to a side comment Chase had made to her before they had all left that morning.

“Best friends fighting over stupid bullshit.” Harley responds.

“And that stupid bullshit is?”

“Your sister has this insane notion in her mind that I have a crush on a certain hunter. And no I’m not naming names.”

“And do you?”

“No, but like I don’t wanna fall in love anyway. What if I live until someone chops my head off? I’d have to watch the person I love die. I’m already worried about outliving you guys.”

“That’s um… I don’t really know how to respond to that. Uh… How about we put on some music?”

“That sounds perfect.”

***

“I seriously just can’t believe she is so dense!” Chase exclaims. Sam chuckles in the seat next to her, but shares her frustrations.

“Seriously, it’s like, how do you not realize she’s all you think about? All the time. I’m talking to Dean about a hunt, and he’s all like, ‘Maybe I should get Harley some pie when I get myself some pie’.”

Chase balks. “He never gets me pie.”

“He doesn’t ever get anyone pie, unless it’s Harley or himself. Or when you two were off on your own, he just kept going on and on and on about her. Like, c’mon dude, we all see it!”

Chase rolls her eyes. “I swear they’re going to keep denying their feelings right up until the point they’re making out.”

“Or shagging,” Sam snorts.

“That’s so possible though, knowing the two of them, mainly Dean.”

“I just hope they can contain themselves to do it in a room not with us.”

“I swear, if I see them start kissing, I’m going to just scream, “Fucking finally!” and then leave the room. It’s been what? Five years?”

“I think for Dean, it’s been since the first time you brought her around the motel to hang out with you.”

“Yeah, I know Harley’s been mad crushing on him since like, I don’t know, she was twenty-one? He took her drinking on her birthday. Well, we all did, but it was his idea.”

“Of course it was,” Sam laughs.

“Well, I hope they realize their feelings soon, or I’m going to blow my head off.”

“Don’t be so overdramatic.”

“Puh-lease, Samuel. You want it to happen finally as much as I do.”

Sam shrugs. “Yeah, you’re not wrong.”

***

The hunters sit, looking at a file labeled with Anna Milton’s name.

“Now, the orderly has no recollection of Anna's escape?” Sam asks.

“Apparently, she knocked him unconscious. The blow caused some amnesia. He doesn't even remember coming into her room.” The psychologist answers.

“That's a hell of a right hook to knock out a guy that's got 80 pounds on her.” Dean mentions.

“We think she may have planned this, waited behind the door.”

“You mentioned her illness was recent?” Harley probes.

“Two months ago, she was happy, well-adjusted, journalism major, lots of friends -- Bright future.”

“So, what happened?” Chase questions.

“Well, that's the tragedy of schizophrenia. Within weeks, Anna was overtaken by delusions.”

“What kind of delusions?”

“She thought demons were everywhere.”

The psychologist hands Sam a sketchbook.

“Interesting,” Harley notes.

“It's not uncommon for our patients to believe that monsters are real.”

“Well, that -- that's just batty,” Dean says.

Sam starts flipping through the book laying it flat on the table so they can all see it. The sketchbook had mentions of the raising of the witnesses and Samhain coming back to Earth.

“That’s Revelations,” Harley says surprised.

“Since when does the Book of Revelations have jack-o'-lanterns?”

“It, uh, a little known translation,” Dean lies, albeit not well.

“Well, Anna's father was a church deacon. When she became ill, her paranoia took on religious overtones. She was convinced the devil was about to rise up and end the world. I hope you find her. It's dangerous for her to be out there alone right now.”

***

Dean knocks on the front door of the Milton house.

“Maybe they’re not here?” Chase suggests, though not convincingly in any manner.

“With their car in the driveway?” Harley asks. “Again with the lack of common sense.”

Chase playfully glares at Harley. “Let’s just go in then.”

Dean opens the door easily, finding it to be unlocked. “Mrs. and Mr. Milton?” Dean calls out.

“We're from the sheriff's department,” Sam says.

“We just wanted to ask you a couple of questions,” Chase frowns, looking around the hall. She follows Harley into the living room.

“Well, that’s pleasant,” Harley says sarcastically, gesturing to Mr. and Mrs. Milton.

The three Winchesters stop, shocked, behind Harley, easily following her gaze. The two bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Milton lay dead on the floor, necks cut open, blood pooling around them as they stare blankly into space.

Sam wanders over to the bodies, and places his fingers into some dust. He recoils from the smell, looking towards the rest of the group with a frown. “Sulfur.”

“The demons beat us here,” Chase says. “Whatever they want with Anna, they’re not messing around.”

“Yeah, they want her. They're not screwing around. All right, so, I'm ‘Girl, Interrupted’, and I know the score of the apocalypse, just busted out of the nut-box,” Dean picks up a couple of envelopes, before glancing the rest of the group. “Possibly using superpowers, by the way. Where do I go?”

“Hey, you got those sketches from Anna's notebook?” Sam asks, picking up a picture from the mantel.

“Yeah, I got them here,” Chase says.

“Let me see ‘em. Check this out.”

“She was drawing the window of her church,” Dean says, realization dawning on everyone.

“Over and over. If you were religious, scared, and had demons on your ass, where would you go to feel safe?” Harley asks. “Obviously your church.”

***

The four hunters cautiously enter the church, guns in hand, wary glances scanning the room.

“Anna?” Chase calls. “We’re not here to hurt you. We’re here to help. I’m Chase Winchester, these are my brothers, Sam and Dean. This is my best friend, Harley. We just want to keep you safe.”

Anna appears in front of them, eyes wide, red hair hanging limply around her face. She looks withdrawn and exhausted, as though stress was permanently etched into her every bone. “Winchester? Chase Winchester?”

“Yes,” Chase nods.

“I’ve heard of you so often. And Sam. And you’re Dean? The Dean?”

Dean looks smugly around, lowering his gun slightly. “Well, uh, yeah, I guess. The Dean.”

“It's really you. Oh, my god. The angels talk about you. You were in Hell, but Castiel pulled you out, and some of them think you can help save us. And some of them don't like you at all,” Anna says the last part, glancing at Sam. He frowns at her. “They talk about you all the time lately. I feel like I know you.”

“What, don’t they talk about us?” Chase jokingly says.

Anna looks at her. “Yes, they talk about you two as well. The favoured one and the vampire. Ironically friends with three renowned hunters.”

“So, you talk to angels?” Dean asks.

“Well, no. No, I don’t even think they know I exist. I just kind of, I don’t know. Overhear them.”

“You overhear them?” Sam asks skeptically.

“Yeah. And they talk, and I just hear them. In my head.”

“Like, do you hear them all the time? Even right now?” Chase asks.

“No, not right this second. A lot though. And I can’t shut them out, there’s so many of them.”

“So, they lock you up with a case of the crazies when really you were just... tuning in to angel radio?” Harley asks.

Anna looks relieved. “Yes, thank you.”

“Anna, when did the voices start? Do you remember?”

“I can tell you exactly. September eighteenth.”

“The day I got out of hell,” Dean says.

“First words I heard, clear as a bell -- ‘Dean Winchester is saved’.”

“What do you guys think?” Dean asks the group.

“That’s above my pay grade,” Sam sighs.

“We don’t get paid, Sam,” Harley says.

“Speak for yourself. I made five hundred bucks the other night,” Chase says.

“Well, at least now we know why the demons want you so bad. They get a hold of you, they can hear everything the other side's cooking. You're 1-900-angel,” Dean says, ignoring the antics of the three other hunters.

“Hey, um, do you know -- are my parents okay? I -- I didn't go home. I was afraid,” Anna says, hope shining in her eyes.

Chase opens her mouth to respond, but Ruby comes rushing into the room at that exact second.

“You got the girl? Good, let’s go.”

“Her face!” Anna gasps, stepping back.

“It’s okay, she’s here to help,” Sam reassures.

“Don’t be so sure,” Dean mutters.

“We have to hurry,” Ruby insists.

“Why?” Dean asks hotly.

“Because a demon’s coming. A big-timer. We can fight later, Dean.”

“Well, that's pretty convenient -- showing up right when we find the girl with some bigwig on your tail?” Dean demands.

“I didn’t bring him here,” Ruby accuses. “You did.”

“What?” Chase asks.

“He followed you from the girl’s house, now let’s go.”

Dean hesitates, but Harley nudges him, pointing to a statue of an angel, whose eyes begin to bleed. “Dean, look.”

“It’s too late,” Ruby says, despair lacing her voice. “He’s here.”

Chase grabs Anna by the arm and quickly leads her to a closet. “Okay, stay here and don’t move.”

Anna nods. “Okay.”

Sam pulls out a flask of holy water, but Ruby shakes her head at him. “No, Sam, you’ve got to pull him right away.”

“Wait, hold on a second,” Dean demands, not agreeing to the plan.

“Now's not the time to bellyache about Sam going darkside. He does his thing, he exorcises that demon, or we die,” Ruby says.

A demon enters the attic and Sam immediately tries to exorcise him, but fails. The demon smiles cruelly at him. “That tickles. You don't have the juice to take me on, Sam.”

The demon throws Sam downstairs. Sam struggles to his feet, going back upstairs to help Dean, who is losing the fight with the demon. Harley picks up the demon knife that Dean drops in his fight. Just as the demon announces who he is- Alastair, Harley stabs him in the back with the knife.

“You’re going to have to try a lot harder than that, kid,” Alastair says, pulling the knife out, easily discarding it.

Ruby, having pulled Anna out of the closet, pushes Harley and Chase towards the stairs as Alastair becomes distracted by the boys once more. The boys jump out the stained glass window idiotically.

The four girls rush down the stairs, through the parking lot, trying not to trip over their feet. They spot Jack quickly. Chase starts the engine of Jack as Ruby pushes Anna into the back seat before joining her. Harley climbs into the passenger seat.

“I know a place we can go,” Ruby starts. “But they’re going to try finding us still, so drive fast.”

***

The four girls- albeit one is a demon- stand in an abandoned cabin, far into the woods, safe (for now) from the other demons.

“So what now?” Chase asks as they all huddle together, catching their breath. “We’ve got no way to contact Sam or Dean, my phone is dead, and I doubt we’ve got connection out here anyway.”

“I’ll just have to go get them,” Ruby says.

“Hold up,” Chase interjects. “How do we know we can trust you?”

“I just saved all three of your asses, putting my own on the line!”

“But you could easily just be having us stay here as a trap.”

“Enough,” Harley interrupts. “Ruby go. We’ll take care of Anna.”

“Seriously?” Chase says in disbelief.

“It’s our best bet at the moment,” Harley defends.

“Fine,” Chase snaps. She whirls around to look at Ruby. “However, if you do anything, say anything, out of line, I will find you. I will make sure your last moments are worse than Hell, and then I will kill you. Understood?”

Ruby rolls her eyes. “You are just like Dean. I’ll be back.” With that, Ruby’s head tilts back, her mouth emitting black smoke before Ruby’s body collapses to the floor. Chase doesn’t bother to try catching her.

“Sooo,” Chase says awkwardly. “Anna. What do you hear about Harley and I from the angels? I mean, it’s obvious what you hear about my brothers, but like, what about us?”

Anna regards the two of them cautiously. “Well,” she begins slowly. “They call you favoured and special. I’m not sure exactly why. It probably has to do with your Sight.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Chase asks, confused. “They talk about my awful eyesight?”

“No, your Sight. Your ability to see angels in their true forms. Hear them. You know, without getting hurt or killed.”

Chase flatly says, “Well, ain’t that neato.”

“And do I want to know what they say about me?” Harley asks.

Anna looks at her. “No. I don’t think you do.”

The three fall silent. “Do you know any angels?”

Harley and Chase share a look. “We’ve met a couple now. Uriel and Castiel.”

“More like Dickhead and Dreamy,” Chase jokes.

Harley’s eyebrows shoot up. “Dreamy, huh? So you finally admit it?”

Anna looks confused. “Admit what?”

“Nothing!” Chase exclaims. “Gosh, it was a joke. I blanked. It was the first thing that popped into my head.”

“That’s not exactly helping your case,” Harley says.

“Oh, hush up, why don’t you? I already told you that I think he’s fairly okay looking. For a, well, I don’t know. Him.”

“I believe your exact words were handsome earlier.”

Chase scoffs. “Yeah, well, whatever. Future-sister-in-law.”

“There’s nothing going on between me and Dean.”

“Dean and I,” Chase corrects as Anna makes a noise of surprise and confusion.

“What?” Anna asks.

“She thinks I’m in love with Dean,” Harley explains.

“Makes more sense than you thinking I have feelings for Cas!” Chase says.

“You have feelings for an angel?”

“Wait, what, no! That’s not what I’m say-”

“Guys, bicker later,” Ruby says, causing the three others to jump practically out of their skin.

“What the fuck?” Chase yells out in surprise. “God damn it, Ruby, give me a warning next time.”

“How? My warning would have scared you.”

Chase tilts her head slightly, squinting her eyes. “Well, I mean, whatever.”

“How long have you been back?” Harley asks her.

Ruby shrugs. “Long enough to know you both have some serious emotional attachment issues. I mean, seriously, Dean? Castiel- an angel? Do better.”

“Shut up, Dean’s great, not that I’m into him because I’m definitely not.”

“Oh, please,” Chase says.

Ruby raises a brow. “You two are blind.”

“What? Two! I’m not blind- I mean, I am, but not like that! You haven’t even seen me interact with Cas, so what do you know?”

“I know what I hear from Sam and I know you are currently bright red, so yeah. I’d say I know enough.”

“Sam talks about me and Cas?” Chase asks. “But we talk about Dean and Harley.”

“You talk about me and Dean?” Harley demands.

Chase waves her off. “What else do you think we did the whole car ride here?”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t. But nice try.”

“When are Sam and Dean going to be here?” Anna asks, reminding everyone of her presence.

“I got them on their way, so it shouldn’t be long. We just have to wait.”

***

“Glad you could make it,” Ruby says, opening the door to a frazzled Sam and Dean Winchester. They pile into the cabin, adding to the already tense atmosphere.

“Yeah, thanks,” Sam says. “Anna, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think so. Ruby isn’t like the other demons. She saved my life.”

“Yeah, I hear she does that, now, I guess,” Dean says, pausing oddly in between words, as if the thought confused him so much, he could barely form the sentence. “You know-”

“What?” Ruby asks, raising a questioning brow at Dean’s faltering word.

“I guess I owe you for... Sam. And I just wanted... you know…”

“Don’t strain yourself.”

“Okay then, is the moment over?” Dean asks. Ruby nods, and Dean slumps in relief. “Good, because that was awkward.”

Dean glances around the room, smiling at Chase and Harley, glad to see them okay. “So, what’d you girls talk about while we were gone? I bet it was me.”

“Actually-” Ruby starts.

“Nothing!” Harley hurriedly says.

Dean raises his eyebrows. “No, now I’m interested. Say, Ruby, what’d you guys talk about?”

“You. And Castiel.”

“Why was Castiel mentioned?”

“Because Chase apparently has feelings for him.”

Dean looks stern, much like John did whenever he found out Chase had snuck out. “Excuse me?”

Chase shrinks back. “Okay, yeah, that was talked about, but it isn’t true. I do not have feelings for him.”

“You better not. Because they’re dicks.”

“Not all of them are,” Chase says, before mentally facepalming. “I’m sure. I mean. Yeah, okay, I’m going to shut up now.”

“Hey, Sam, you think it'd be safe to make a quick call, just to tell my parents I'm okay? They must be completely freaked.”

Silence falls on the group as they all gaze at Anna with somber faces. “What?” Anna asks, confused.

“Anna, um... Your parents…” Sam starts.

“What about them?”

“Look, I’m sorry.”

Anna looks panicked, shaking her head slightly, her pale skin turning a shade whiter. “No, they’re not-”

“I’m so sorry,” Sam says.

“No,” Anna says, her demeanor crumpling slightly. “Why is this happening to me?” Tears begin to stream down Anna’s face.

“I don’t know,” Chase says, trying to seem comforting. Chase places a hand on Anna’s arm, and Anna straightens immediately. Chase thinks she had done something wrong, and backs away, only for Anna to reveal what startled her.

Panic overtakes Anna as she shrinks back into herself. “They’re coming,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. The walls begin to shake slightly as they all scramble around.

“Back room,” Dean says.

Chase takes Anna to the back room before coming back to stand at Harley’s side.

“Where’s the knife?” Ruby asks.

Dean falters. “Uh, yeah, about that.”

“You’re kidding,” three voices chorus- Chase, Harley and Ruby.

“Hey, don’t look at me!” Dean says defensively. The three girls turn their look to Sam.

“Thanks a lot,” Sam says to Dean sarcastically.

“Peachy,” Ruby mutters. “This is just peachy.”

“Impeccable timing guys, really. You thought this one through!” Chase snaps.

The door rattles violently before it comes crashing open. The hunters and demon shield their face before looking up, prepared to fight. Upon seeing the two figures entering the room, it’s clear that their raised weapons are currently unneeded.

Castiel and Uriel stand in the doorway, looking at the group with seeming indifference.

“Oh, thank God, it’s just you,” Chase sighs, being the first to lower her weapon. “You worried me there for a second. Is there always the need for dramatic entrances though?”

Castiel regards her with a tilted head and squinted eyes, perpetual confusion written plainly across his face, as though he couldn’t quite figure out a particularly difficult math problem- or rubix cube.

Uriel doesn’t regard her at all.

“Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day,” Dean says.

“Well I can see that,” Uriel says coldly. “You want to explain why you have that stain in the room?”

“Shut up already, you giant asshat,” Chase says. She freezes slightly under Uriel’s stare. “Okay, so I shouldn’t have said that. I meant it. Shouldn’t have said it.”

“We’re here for Anna,” Castiel says, sending a warning look to Uriel, who looks ready to smite Chase down right at that second.

“Here for her like... here for her?” Harley asks.

“Stop talking and give her to us.”

Harley bristles at being talked to by Uriel in that way. “Well, you’re a giant ray of sunshine,” she sarcastically comments.

“Are you going to help her?” Sam asks.

“No,” Castiel says, his deep voice resonating as they all listen in surprise to his words. “She has to die.”

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Wishful Thinking

“It just doesn't make any sense, Dean. I mean, why would Uriel tell me you remembered Hell if you didn't?” Sam asks for what seems like the thousandth time.

The girls roll their eyes in synch at the boys’ antics. They all sit at a table in a bar, drinking various things, as well as picking apart a plate of fries.

Dean downs another shot. “Maybe because he's a dick. Might have something to do with it.”

“Maybe, but he’s still an angel.”

“Yeah, an angel who was ready to level a whole town. Look, I don’t know what-” “Radical,” The waiter says, coming up to their table right at that moment. “What else can I get for you?”

“Uh, I think we’re good,” Sam says.

“Speak for yourself,” Chase says. “I’d like whatever dessert you’d recommend, unless pie is an option. Pie is life. And I’ll take another few rounds of these,” she finishes, pushing a couple of now empty shot glasses towards him.

“A few more meaning?”

“Six.”

The waiter, looking slightly startled, walks away.

“Sam, honestly, I have no idea why Uriel told you what he did, okay?” Dean says, finishing what he was trying to say earlier.

“Right,” Sam says, unconvinced.

“What?” Dean asks.

“You gotta see it from our point of view, Dean,” Chase says. “You’re not sounding very believable. Right, Harley?”

“I think if Dean isn’t ready to talk about it we shouldn’t pry.” Harley answers.

“I’m fine talking,” Dean says gruffly. “I just don’t remember anything.”

“Okay. Fine. Then look me in the eye and tell me you don't remember a thing from your time down under,” Sam says, continuing to grill him despite Harley’s efforts.

“I don't remember a thing from my time down under. I don't remember, Sam!”

“Look, Dean, we just want to help.”

“You guys know everything I do, okay? That’s all there is.”

“Outstanding!” The waiter exclaims, coming back over with a tray. “Here’s your dessert and drinks, and is there anything else I can get for you?”

“Dude,” Dean says, looking at the waiter.

“Look, bros, you’ve got to try our ice cream extreme. It’s extreme.”

“Uh, no, no extremities please. Just the-”

“Check? Awesome, alright!”

Sam huffs, causing Chase to smile. He’s always hated getting interrupted. “Thanks.”

“Alright, so where do we go from here?” Harley asks once the waiter has disappeared.

“I'm not sure. Uh, looks like it's been pretty quiet lately. No signs of demon activity, no omens or portents I can see,” Sam says.

“Hey, some good news for once!” Chase says, throwing back the second shot already.

“Yeah, just the typical smattering of crank UFO sightings and one possible vengeful spirit. Here, check this out. Uh... Up in Concrete, Washington, eyewitness reports of a ghost that's been haunting the showers of a women's health facility.” Dean chokes on his drink. “The victim claims that the ghost threw her down a flight of stairs. I can see you're very interested.”

“Women, showers,” Dean says. “We got to save these people.”

“Really, Dean?” Chase asks in disgust. “At least be better at pretending you want to actually just help.”

“What?” Dean asks in feign innocence. “We gotta help ‘em.”

***

“I'm not surprised the spirit world chose to make contact with me. I'm something of a... natural sensitive.” Candace, the victim, says.

“I can sense that about you, Candace, that whole... sensitive thing.” Sam responds.

“So, what did you say you're calling your book?”

“Oh, well, um... Well, the working title is... ‘Supernatural.’ Yeah, We've been crossing the country, gathering stories like yours. But, anyways, you were telling us about your encounter.”

“Yes. Well…” Candace sighs, “Once I saw the apparition, that's when I started to run.”

Sam and Chase notice a peculiar couple making out across the divider. Peculiar in the sense that the woman was way out of the man’s league. Sam keeps staring confused while Chase quickly adverts her gaze and scrunches her nose, a habit of hers whenever she’s uncomfortable. Chase elbows Sam because despite being weird, there isn’t anything paranormal about the couple.

“So the ghost chased you?” Chase asks.

“Not just that. It knew my name. It kept yelling, "Mrs. Armstrong! Mrs. Armstrong!" And that's when I hit the stairs and fell.” Candace responded.

“You fell?” Sam asks. “It didn’t push you?.”

“Oh, I don't – I don't know. I mean, I think it did. Maybe?”

Chase rolls her eyes. ‘Great.’

“Did you feel like it meant to hurt you, like it was violent, or anything like that?” Chases questions.

“It was a ghost. I'm lucky to be alive. Anyway, I was at the bottom of the stairs, and that's when it got weird. It helped me up.” Candace says slightly chuckling.

“Say again?” Sam asks.

“Yeah. It helped me up. And it kept saying over and over, ‘Please, don't tell my mom.’”

Chase snorts at this, earning a look from Candace. “Sorry, that’s just an odd thing for it to say.”

“It is weird,” she agrees.

“Yeah,” Sam says. “Weird.”

***

“You take the stairwell and I’ll take the showers.” Harley says, getting out of the Impala.

“Come on, why can’t I take the showers?” Dean asks, getting out as well.

“Um… I don’t know because you’re you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asks, slightly offended.

“Look Dean. It’s not happening, period.”

“You know you’re hot when you know what you want,” Dean says, sneaking up and hugging her from behind.

“No amount of flattery or affection is going to get you into those showers.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” Dean relents, letting go of Harley, pouting.

***

Harley and Dean sat on the steps of the fitness center waiting for Sam and Chase. Dean had found a newspaper and was looking through it. The headline said that a local man had won the lottery.

“Well, you pick up anything?” Sam asks them.

“Nada,” Harley sighs.

“Yeah. I'm not surprised. I kind of got the feeling back there that crazy pushed Mrs. Armstrong down the stairs.”

“I got to tell you, I'm pretty disappointed.” Dean adds.

“Of course you are,” Chase says rolling her eyes.

Dean and Harley got up and the four began making their way back to their respective cars. A kid ran by followed by three others.

“Come on, guys, get him!” One of the presumably bullies says.

“I got him! I got him!” Another yells.

Dean being Dean has to make a reference and calls after the kid running from the others, “Run, Forrest, run!”

“I don't think anything's going on around here,” Chase says. “Maybe for once we get a break?”

“When do we ever get breaks?” Harley asks.

“Never,” Chase sighs dramatically.

The hunters overhear a man arguing with a cop on the pier, “How the hell was I supposed to get a look at it? It grabbed me from behind and threw me into a tree!”

“Something's going on,” Dean comments.

“Yeah, okay, Gus. I understand you got shook up. Anyone would be. But don't you think it – Don't you think it had to be a bear?” The cop asks.

“I know a damn bear track when I see one! This thing didn't leave bear tracks! Its feet were huge!” Gus answers.

“Now, Gus…”

“It was Bigfoot, Hal – The Bigfoot!”

At this the group started walking towards Gus and Hal.

“Gus, you're not talking sense here.”

“There's a Bigfoot out there, damn it, and he's a son of a bitch!”

“Excuse us, FBI,” Sam says, breaking the ice as they all pull out their badges.

“What?” Hal, the cop, responds.

“We’re here about Bigfoot,” Harley states matter-of-factly.

“About Bigfoot?”

“Yes.” Harley promptly turns towards Gus. “Can you tell me exactly where this happened?”

“Why, yes, I can,” Gus says, shooting a victorious look to the cop

***

“What the hell's going on in this town? First there's a ghost that's not real, and now a Bigfoot sighting?” Dean asks.

The four hunters wander through the forest, near where Gus said he’d spotted Bigfoot. Mosquitos swarm around them, trees densely surrounding the few miles around. Chase, already sick of being in the woods, was already bitten several times by the annoying bugs.

“Well, every hunter who’s worth their salt knows Bigfoot’s a hoax,” Sam says.

“Chase, didn’t you used to actually believe in Bigfoot?” Dean asks.

“Only because you told me he did!” Chase retorts. “Everything else is real, so I’m sorry if my seven-year-old self decided to believe her older brother.”

“In all fairness, he could just be really good at staying under the radar. I mean we didn’t think angels were real. Now we’ve met Cas and that asshole brother of his.” Harley adds.

“Well, maybe someone’s pumping LSD into the town water supply,” Dean jokes.

“Then what made those?” Chase asks, stopping suddenly, pointing at large tracks, which couldn’t possibly have been made by a bear.

“That, uh... is a big foot.” Sam says hesitantly.

“Well, okay then,” Chase says.

“Bigfoot isn’t looking so crazy all of the sudden,” Harley states.

The hunters begin following the tracks to a liquor store. Upon entering they notice that no one else is there and that the place is ransacked.

“So, what – Bigfoot breaks into a liquor store, jonesing for some hooch?” Dean says, before leaning down to inspect a few broken bottles, “Amaretto and Irish cream. He's a girl-drink drunk.”

Harley rolls her eyes at the comment.

“Dean, as a female, you should be and definitely are fully aware that I can match you in alcohol consumption. And Harley could probably outdrink all of us if she actually drank.”

“Yeah, but you’re different.”

Chase raises an eyebrow. “Choose your next words very, very carefully, Dean.”

Dean’s eyes widen and he simply turns around to keep investigating. “Seriously? He took the whole porno rack? I will repeat myself. What is going on in this town?”

After one final sweep of the place, they found some fur and decided to sit outside, pondering what this all meant.

“I got nothing,” Dean says, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“It’s got to be a joke, right?” Sam asks.

“Yeah,” Chase agrees. “Maybe a big-ass motherfucker in a gorilla suit?”

“Probably,” Harley agrees.

“Or it's a Bigfoot. You know, and he's some kind of a alcoholo-porno addict. Kind of like a deep-woods Duchovny.” Dean adds.

“I thought you didn’t believe in Bigfoot,” Harley teases.

Dean gives her a pointed look. “Yeah, well, it seems everything’s getting weirder by the day, so what else am I supposed to believe?” He frowns, looking past Harley, to see a little girl on a bike, riding past. A porno magazine falls out of the basket attached to her bike, causing all four of the hunters to pause. “A little young for Busty Asian Beauties.”

“I don’t think she’s our Bigfoot, but she might know him. I say we follow her.”

***

“What's this, like a ‘Harry and the Hendersons’ deal?” Dean asks when they arrive at the little girl’s house.

They knock on the door and the little girl answers, “Hello?”

“Hello! Um, could we... You know what? Are your parents home?” Sam asks.

“Nope.”

“No,” Chase repeats in dejection.

“Look, we just want to know if you’ve seen anyone really furry with big feet?” Harley says, probably a little too sharply. She’s never been particularly great with kids.

“Is he in trouble?” The little girl asks worriedly.

“No, of course not,” Chase says, kneeling down to the girl’s height. “We just want to make sure he’s okay.”

“Exactly!” Dean says.

“He’s my teddy bear,” she says. “I think he’s sick.”

“That’s perfect!” Chase says enthusiastically. “Because, we are… teddy bear doctors!” She bluffs, shooting a look back to have the others cover her ass.

“That’s us, teddy bear doctors, so if we could see your teddy bear we might be able to make him better,” Harley quickly says.

“Really?” The little girl asks.

“Really,” Chase says.

***

“He's in my bedroom. He's pretty grumpy,” Audrey says, knocking on the door. “Teddy? There's some nice doctors here to see you.” She opens the door to show a giant stuffed bear turn to them.

“Close the fucking door!” the bear explains, causing Chase’s eyes to widen. She glances quickly at Audrey, hoping she wasn’t taking note of the language being used. Audrey quickly closes the door and turns back to the hunters with a shrug.

“See what I mean?” she asks.

The four hunters, disguised as teddy bear doctors, turn to each other skeptically. They follow Audrey into the living room, allowing them to sit and talk to her.

“All I ever wanted was a teddy which was big, real, and talked. But now he's sad all the time – not "ouch" sad, but ouch-in-the-head sad – says weird stuff, and smells like the bus,” Audrey explains to the four, who all watch her carefully.

Chase snorts, “I understand that feeling.”

“Little girl,” Dean starts.

“Audrey!” Audrey exclaims, chastising Dean again for not using her name.

“Audrey,” Dean corrects, “How exactly did your teddy bear become real?”

“I wished for it,” she says simply, as though it would be obvious.

“You wished for it?” Harley asks hesitantly.

“At the wishing well,” Audrey says, further explaining.

They stand awkwardly outside the bedroom door, looking to each other nervously. Dean opens the door slightly, allowing all four to peer in. A large teddy bear sits on the bed, facing a loud tv, displaying the news.

“Look at this,” the bear says, gesturing to the propaganda being spewed to the viewers. “You believe this crap?”

Dean raises his brows, pursing his lips slightly. “Not really.”

“It is a terrible world,” the bear continues to moan. “Why am I here?”

“For tea parties!” Audrey exclaims expectantly and excitedly.

“Tea parties? Is that all there is?” he demands, gunfire on the tv momentarily distracting him enough for Dean to close the door and turn to Audrey.

“Audrey,” Sam asks. “Can you give us a minute?”

“Okay,” she says, skipping off to the other room.

“Okay,” Sam repeats, turning back to others. “Should-should we kill this bear?”

“I think it might kill itself,” Harley says, grimacing.

“I hate to agree, but I agree,” Chase sighs.

“So what? We leave it alone?” Dean asks.

“I mean I don’t know,” Harley says.

“What would we even do? Shoot it? Burn it?” Chase asks sarcastically.

“How do we even know that's gonna work? I don't want some giant, flaming, pissed-off teddy on our hands,” Dean says.

“Yeah. Besides, I get the feeling that the bear isn't really the, you know, core problem here,” Sam sighs. They quickly make their way to Audrey. “Audrey. Where are your parents?”

She pauses a moment. “My mom wished they were in Bali, so I think they're in Bali.”

Chase’s eyes widen. “I wish I could do that.”

“Okay, well... I'm really sorry to have to break this to you, but... your bear is sick. Yeah, he's – he's got…” Sam pauses, shooting a look to all the other

“Depre-” Harley starts. Chase smacks a palm over her best friend’s mouth, her eyes cursing at her, as she has to improvise.

“Lollipop...disease,” Chase forces out, thinking of the most innocent seeming idea.

“Yeah!” Sam says, jumping on board. “Lollipop disease.”

“It's not uncommon for a bear his size. But, see, it's – it’s really contagious,” Dean explains.

“Yeah, so, is there – is there someone, maybe a grown-up, that you can stay with while we treat him?” Sam asks.

“Mrs. Hurley lives down the street,” Audrey says.

Chase shoots Harley a disgusted look, only now tearing her hand away, because Harley licked it. Chase wipes it on Harley’s shoulder, earning an eye roll from the boys as Harley tries to contain her laughter.

“Perfect,” Dean says.

“Good, yeah, good. Uh, we'd like you to stay there for a few days, okay?” Sam requests.

Audrey shrugs, nonplussed. “Okay.”

“Oh, and, Audrey? Where is this wishing well?” Chase asks.

***

The four hunters stare up at the sign, reading Lucky Chin's Chinese Restaurant, wordlessly sending each other furtive glances, not wishing to go inside. Eventually, the girls wander over to the door and pull it open, allowing the boys to step in, just as a child exits.

“I know what I’m wishing for,” Harley says as soon as they step in making a beeline to the fountain.

“What are you going to wish for?” Sam asks as the other three follow Harley.

“I can’t tell you until after I make my wish.” She rolls her eyes and throws a coin in.

They wait a minute.

“Did it work?” Dean asks.

“Dunno? I don’t really feel any different.” Harley says, “I guess it did?”

“What did you wish for?” Sam asks.

“To be human.”

The three Winchesters stare at her in shock.

“Are you sure that was smart? All these wishes seem to be going awry, and you don’t know the kind of repercussions that could result from you wanting that-” Chase rambles in worry, concern filling her brown eyes as she stares at her best friend. Harley interrupts her, holding a hand up. “Sorry.”

“Well, my turn then,” Dean says, stepping forward.

“What’re you wishing for?” Sam asks, curious.

“Shh,” Dean holds up a hand. “Not supposed to tell.”

He tosses a coin in and not even a second later, a man walks in, “Somebody order a footlong Italian with jalapeño?”

Dean grins at the others, before holding his hand up slightly. “That’d be me.”

“Why don’t you wish for something?” Harley asks Chase.

Chase shrugs. “I dunno what to wish for.”

“How about like, a book, or cat ears, or something.”

“Sure, let me just ask for a headband,” Chase laughs, fishing a coin out of her pocket.

Pulling out a quarter, she approaches the wishing well. Tossing in the coin silently, she waits with bated breath, a hand outstretched, awaiting her cat ears. She frowns, turning around.

“I guess they don’t all work,” she shrugs.

Harley snickers, pointing at her head. “They’re right there.”

Chase reaches up, and pulls off a headband, cat ears that match her hair -dark brown with red streaks. She smiles before resituating them on her head. “Okay, cool, so what do we do about this?”

“I don’t know. Stopping people’s wishes from coming true sounds like a dick move.”

The four went to sit in a booth and talk things over.

“I’m guessing this is also a result,” Chase says, gesturing to the headlines in the newspaper.

“And that,” Sam agrees, pointing to a couple over at a different table.

“Unless he’s got a really great personality or he’s rich, definitely,” Harley adds.

“Yeah, ‘personality’,” Dean says.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Dean winks at Harley from across the booth. Chase snorts. Dean turns his look to Chase, a frown settling across his face as he glares at her playfully. Chase shrugs in defense, reaching a hand up to readjust her cat ears.

Dean takes a bite of his sandwich, moaning slightly. He points to it with a full mouth and a wide grin. “Thish ish good.”

“Ew,” Chase says. “Close your mouth, swallow, and then say something. God, Dean.”

Dean just grins at her wider.

Sam rolls his eyes and interrupts. “So, you’re right, it seems like a dick move, but come on, man. When has something like this ever come without a price tag? And usually a deadly one.”

“Sam’s got a point,” Harley says.

“I don't know. It's a damn good sandwich. All right. Fine. We'll put a hold on the wishing till we figure out what's going on,” Dean sighs.

“Uh, sir, sir, I’m sorry,” a worker comes over to their table. “We don’t allow people to eat outside food here.”

“Well, I am certainly not gonna eat the inside food here. Health department. You, my friend, have a rat infestation. We're gonna have to shut this place down under emergency hazard code 56C.”

Chase raises a brow, but then nods solemnly, trying to play along.

“Rats?” The man exclaims in shock.

***

The four hunters stand side by side, looking into the now-drained fountain. The buddha is plaster, paint peeling from its old, wearied edges, the smile thoroughly creeping out Chase. She looks away from it, scanning the bottom of the fountain, but nothing seems out of place.

“Typical fountain, plaster Buddha. Nothing I can see,” Dean says.

“Yes,” the chinese worker says, agreeing enthusiastically. “Nothing. We keep a clean place here.”

“Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave during the preliminary investigation, okay? Thank you,” Sam says. The man leaves, though a sour look adorns his face.

“Oh, come on. Aren't you a little bit tempted?” Dean asks, flipping a coin to Sam.

Sam chuckles lightly, handing the coin back to Dean. “No. Wouldn’t be real. I wouldn’t trust it.”

“I don’t know, that bear seemed pretty real,” Chase says.

“Wasn’t the bear a depressed drunk?” Harley asks.

Chase waves her off. “No matter.”

“Come on, if you could wish yourself back, you know, before it all started... Think about it. You'd be some big yuppie lawyer with a nice car and a white picket fence,” Dean says, ignoring the girls’ deliberation.

“Not what I’d wish for,” Sam says.

“Seriously?” Dean looks at Sam, surprised.

“It's too late to go back to our old lives, Dean. I'm not that guy anymore,” Sam deadpans.

“All right, well, what, then? Hmm? What would little, baby Sammy wish for?” Chase asks, teasing her younger brother.

He looks at her, a serious expression on his face. It causes Chase to pause. “Lilith’s head on a plate. Bloody.”

Harley attempts to whistle lowly, forgetting she can’t whistle at all. “Shit, I’d like that too.”

“Also,” Sam says, lightening up slightly, “You’re by far, much smaller than me.”

Chase rolls her eyes, pouting slightly. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“What’s that?” Dean asks, pointing to an old coin at the bottom of the fountain.

The three others turn to look at it closely, unsure of what it is.

“Some kind of old coin. I don't recognize the markings,” Sam says.

“Neither do I,” Harley adds.

Dean bends over and goes to grab it, but can’t seem to pull it off the fountain floor. “Damn,” he grunts, unable to move it at all.

“Lift with your legs,” Sam jokes.

“That little fucker really is welded on there,” Dean says.

“Let me try,” Harley says, attempting to pick up the coin. It didn’t even budge. “Noted, I’m not freakishly strong anymore. Guess I really am human.”

The boys left to grab a crowbar and a mallet. The worker attempted to stop them once he saw the tools, but the boys brushed past him.

“Let me see that. I got an idea,” Dean says referring to the mallet, he already had the crowbar. He wedged the end of the crowbar between the coin and the fountain, and hit the mallet against the crowbar. The head of the mallet flew off almost hitting Harley in the face.

“That was close. Too close,” Harley says once the mallet head lands.

“Coin's magical,” Sam says.

“I’d say,” Chase agrees.

“I think it’s hoodoo that keeps it protected,” Dean adds. “We can’t destroy it.”

Sam apparently keeps a pencil and paper on him and takes a frottage of the coin handing it to Dean as he was closest to Sam.

“All right, here. Y’all got to look into this.” Sam adds.

“Where you going?” Dean asks.

“Something just occurred to me.”

***

Chase sits, leaning against the wall of her and Harley’s motel room as she waits for her best friend. For some reason, Harley is sick. She’s sitting on the bathroom floor, waiting until she gets sick again, her head resting against the cabinet door, next to the toilet.

Chase herself didn’t feel the greatest. Her head pounded and her ears were ringing. A click lets her know that Harley is exiting the bathroom and Chase sits up straighter, trying to ignore how sensitive to the light her eyes are.

“Feeling any better?”

Harley shakes her head. “Not really.”

“Any idea what it could be?”

Harley shakes her head again, sighing deeply. “It could be something bloodborne. Something I picked up from a bad blood bag?”

“Yep, no superhuman strength, no immunities, and you’re probably not going to get any better soon.”

Harley looks up, a retort on her lips, but it dies upon her eyes landing on Chase. She stares, eyes wide, at her best friend. “Chase, you-your ears.”

Chase frowns. “What about them?” She asks, reaching up to readjust them. However, when she feels her fingertips meet them, she freezes. Her ears twitch, and a strangled cry escapes her lips as she bolts up, running into the bathroom. She stares at her reflection with wide, horrified eyes.

“I have cat ears!”

“Well, that is what you wished for,” Harley says, obviously trying to keep herself from laughing.

“No wonder my head hurts! These ears are just super sensitive to everything.”

Chase exits the bathroom, and upon Harley meeting her gaze, eyes flicking up to her ears, before meeting her eyes once more, Harley can no longer contain herself.

Harley bursts into laughter, wincing as her sides begin to ache, abdominal pain starting up, causing her to clutch her sides.

“You okay?” Chase asks.

“No, but I’ll manage.” Harley says, pulling out her phone and dialing Dean’s number, “I found something on the coin though, before I puked my guts out.”

“The wishes turn bad,” Dean says as soon as he picks up.

“Trust me. We know,” Harley sighs, putting Dean on speakerphone.

“What happened to you two?”

“Chase is a neko, and we think I have some bloodborne illness. You?’

“That sandwich made me sick.”

“Anyway the reason I called you is because I found out the coin is Babylonian. It’s of the goddess Tiamat.”

“At least we have a starting point now,” Chase says.

***

The four hunters arrived at Wesley Mondale’s house. Sam had figured out he was the first to make a wish last night. Harley rang the doorbell and Hope, Wesley’s fiancée, opened the door.

“Hi! Hope right? We’re the florists.” Harley says flashing her best fake smile and pepping up her attitude.

“Of course! Come in!” Hope says ushering the group inside, “Wes! You didn't tell me that you called the florists for the wedding.”

“Huh?” Wesley says looking as if he just woke up.

“You're the best! Mmm! Ah! I'm gonna go get my folders.” Hope says rushing off.

“Uh? Okay.”

“Wesley, how's it going?” Dean asks.

“It’s ‘Wes’ Aren't you the guys from the health department?”

“Yeah. And florists on the side,” Sam says.

“Plus FBI,” Dean adds.

“And on Thursdays, we're teddy bear doctors,” Chase says.

“And sometimes I’m a vampire. We’re kind of Jacks of all trades,” Harley finishes.

“Huh? Why does she have cat ears?” Wesley asks, pointing at Chase.

Chase frowns, feigning offense. “It’s a medical condition.”

Wesley turns slightly pink, but looks confused still. “Sorry,” he mumbles, keeping his eyes glued to anything except Chase’s “condition”.

“Look, Wes, it doesn’t matter who we are. It matters what we know about you,” Harley says pointedly.

“So, coin collector, huh, Wes?” Sam asks.

“Oh. Yeah. My... grandfather gave them to me,” Wes says.

“Did you happen to lose one of those coins lately? And by ‘lose,’ I mean drop into a wishing well at Lucky Chin's and make a wish on it?” Dean asks.

“No, I – I don't know what you're, uh, talking about.”

Hope comes back with folders overflowing with papers.

“Okay, now. I have a lot of ideas, but, you know, we don't have all the money in the world. Wes is between jobs right now. Means more time for me. You know, I'm thinking a Japanese-y ikebana kind of thing,” Hope says, pulling a picture out of one of the folders.

“Yeah. I can see it,” Dean says trying to get rid of her.

“Yeah. So, Hope, uh, tell us how you two lovebirds met,” Chase suggests.

“Oh, best day of my life,” Hope says.

“I bet,” Harley says, trying her best to refrain from rolling her eyes.

“Yeah! It's the funniest thing. We both grew up here, but I never really knew who he was. Not by name anyway. Until one day last month, it was like I just I just saw him for the first time. He was just... glowing. Oh, just glowing.”

“Uh, babe, can you – can you get us some coffee?” Wes asks.

“Yes. Yeah.”

“Oh. Okay. Okay. Mm-Hmm. Okay. Oh, okay. Oh. Mm-mmm, okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay,” Wes says amidst the many many kisses Hope is giving him. Chase looks away, slightly disgusted and feeling awkward.

“Yeah.”

“Wes, we know. So tell us the truth,” Harley says.

“My – my grandfather found the coin in north Africa, you know, World War II. And, uh, he brought it back. He, um, he said it was a real wish-granting coin, but that nobody should ever use it. Um... It was all I had, and when he died, I thought, "Well, you know what? Why not give the coin a shot?” Wesley explains.

“Yeah, well, now you're gonna wish it back,” Sam demands.

“Oh,” he laughs, “Oh. Ha ha, no, I'm not.”

“If you don’t do something about it, something bad’s gonna happen,” Dean says.

“Something like us,” Chase adds, crossing her arms.

“We really wish you'd come with us,” Dean says, pulling out his gun, then putting it away again.

***

“I don’t get how anyone could wish for love,” Harley says, starting the flow of conversation.

Chase pauses, momentarily thinking of her answer. “To be honest, I don’t either. I don’t believe in love really, outside of family, so I’m not quite sure it’s something I’d ever think of. I’d probably wish for books.”

“Didn’t you already have a wish?”

“Oh. Right. Man, really wasted that opportunity.”

“Any specific books?”

“All of them?” Chase suggests jokingly. “I don’t think I’d be able to choose. Watch, the bad thing that happens is I get all the books, but I get a panic attack because I know I could never read them all so I die. Or they fall on top of me and crush me. That would be bad too.”

“I mean that’s one way to go. Suck that these wishes go bad though. It would’ve been nice to just have one good one.”

“I understand what you mean,” Chase replies, her ears twitching at the sound of another passing car.

Harley laughs at the twitching ears, but soon regrets it as her stomach flares up again, “Ow! Okay being human kind of sucks.”

“Wow,” Chase says sarcastically. “Because I’ve never told you that before or anything. Because I’ve never expressed dissatisfaction with being human ever.”

“Okay fair, but like all I’ve ever wanted was to be human.”

“That’s also fair, but in the words of my favorite jamaican crustacean, ‘the seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s lake’,” Chase half-sings the quote.

“I was in a production of The Little Mermaid once. I was the little seahorse that follows Triton around.”

“That’s adorable!” Chase exclaims. “How have you never told me that before? We’ve talked about our theatre experiences so many times.”

“I guess I forgot about it amidst the nightmare that was Theatre Arts.”

Chase fake shudders, “Tech week, am I right?”

“I never had a tech week. Sounds exhausting though.”

Chase’s eyes widen as she turns slightly to peer at Harley. “How in the world have you not had tech week, but you’ve been in theatre? Tech week is the bane of my entire existence. It’s the last week of practice right before the show, where you’ve got costumes, lights, sounds, and all the makeup. You run through every scene like fifty times each night, and oh my God, don’t get me started on the backstage stress because your director, no matter how chill normally, is absolutely insane.”

“Well, I didn’t know it was called tech week. And those were my favourite practices.”

Chase shoots Harley a look of concern. “You really aren’t human, man.”

“Well, I am now. So deal with it.”

Chase smiles slightly. “Oh, right.”

The car jerks to the left suddenly as Chase hits something. “What the fuck?” She cries out, looking around wildly to see what she’d hit. “What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know.”

“I didn’t see anything,” Chase mumbles, turning back around in her seat. “Did you?”

“Nah,” Harley shakes her head. “It was probably nothing. Just a speedbump.”

***

Chase and Harley come to a stop in front of Lucky Chin’s. They step out of the vehicle, heading inside to see Wesley and Sam getting out of the Impala, but no Dean.

“Sammy, where’s Dean?”

“Dealing with a runaway child with super strength.”

Chase raises a brow. “Are you… being… facetious?”

Sam shakes his head. “Sadly, no. Anyway, let’s get this over with.”

“Why can’t we get what we want?” Wes practically whines.

“Because life sucks?” Harley answers unsure.

“Yeah, Wes, this is life. And we don’t all get what we want,” Chase says, scratching her ears.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning shoots down from the sky, splintering into three, hitting Sam, Harley, and Chase, knocking them flat on their backs. Their bodies lay still, dead.

***

Sam, Harley, and Chase woke up on the pavement outside of Lucky Chin’s restaurant. Hope walks out as the three are getting up, looking back with a confused glance before continuing on her way. Wes comes out shortly after. He hands Sam the coin, dejected, before walking away.

“Well, I don’t feel like puking anymore,” Harley says.

Chase frantically reaches her hands up into her hair, sighing in relief as she feels no evidence of ears.

“I am never making a wish again,” Harley shudders.

***

The three Winchesters and the one now-no-longer-human, Harley, are all sitting on a bench, squished in next to each other. It barely seems like Sam or Chase are actually sitting on the bench, so much as leaning against the edges as Dean and Harley take up most of the room in the middle. Audrey walks past, normal sized teddy bear in hand; a bandaid had been placed over a bullet sized hole in its head.

Chase waves to Audrey, who waves back, skipping alongside who must be her parents, extremely sunburnt and confused.

“So, uh,” Sam starts, glancing awkwardly around the town. “The coin’s melted down now, so it shouldn’t cause any more problems.”

“Audrey's parents are back from Bali,” Chase points out, nodding her head towards the retreating family. “Looks like all the wishes are gone.”

“And so are we,” Dean says, folding up a newspaper, whose headline reads, ‘Winning Lottery Ticket A Fake’.

The group gets up, each pair heading back to their cars. Dean suddenly stops, causing the girls to look back at him and Sam, who stand next to Baby.

“You guys were right,” he says.

Chase and Harley share a confused look. “About?” Harley asks.

“I shouldn't have lied to you. I do remember everything that happened to me in the Pit. Everything.”

“So talk to us about it,” Sam suggests.

“No,” Dean deadpans.

“Dean, bu-” Chase starts. Harley puts a hand on her arm as Dean holds up a hand, cutting her off. Harley gives her a look, telling her to drop it.

“I won’t lie anymore, but I’m not going to talk about it.”

“Dean, look, you can't just shoulder this thing alone. You got to let us help,” Sam says.

“He’ll talk when he’s ready to talk. No point forcing it.” Harley sighs.

“The things that I saw... there aren't words. There is no forgetting. There's no making it better. Because it is right here,” Dean taps his head, “forever. You guys wouldn't understand. And I could never make you understand. So I am sorry,” Dean says.

Chase gives Dean a smile, small and bittersweet. “It’s okay, Dean. Just know we’re here for you when you need us.”

Dean returns the look, opening the driver’s side car door, about to get in. “I know.”

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

“Now, uh, how many razor blades did they find?” Sam asks.

Chase, Dean, and Harley cautiously walk around the house, searching for signs of anything supernatural. This case had started out particularly gruesome, with a young father and husband dying from swallowing razor blades that were hidden in candy.

The wife, Mrs. Wallace, looks at the four of them with sad eyes. “Two on the floor, one in his stomach, and one was stuck in his throat.” She sighs, tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. “He swallowed four of them. How is that even possible?” Mrs. Wallace notices Dean opening the oven door and peering in. “The candy was never in the oven.”

“We just have to be thorough, Mrs. Wallace,” Dean responds.

“Did the police find any razors in the rest of the candy?” Harley asks.

“No, I mean, I don’t think so. I just – I can’t believe it. You hear urban legends about this stuff, but it actually happens?” Mrs. Wallace asks.

“More than you might imagine,” Sam says.

Chase comes up from the floor by the refrigerator showing off a hex bag behind Mrs. Wallace’s back.

“Mrs. Wallace, did Luke have any enemies?” Sam asks.

“Enemies?”

“Anyone who might have held a grudge against him?” Chase asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Coworkers? Neighbors? Maybe a woman.”

Mrs. Wallace turns to Sam, looking insulted. “Are you suggesting an affair?”

“Is it possible?” Sam asks.

“No! No, Luke would never-”

“We’re very sorry, ma’am, we just have to look at all the possibilities,” Harley amends.

“If someone wanted to kill my husband, don’t you think they’d find a better way than a razor in a piece of candy he might eat?”

“Like I said we need to look at all the possibilities.”

***

Sam and the girls were doing research in the latters room while Dean went on a candy run. Sam had taken up the couch, the girls were on their beds. Dean walked in, threw his keys on the table, and ate a piece of candy.

“Throw me a piece,” Harley says, and Dean tosses her a couple.

“Really? After that guy choked down all those razor blades?” Sam says disgusted.

Chase looks at the two, warily eying the candy they’re popping into their mouths, waiting for one of them to choke on a razor blade. “You guys should be careful with that.”

“It’s Halloween, guys,” Dean defends.

“Yeah, for us every day is Halloween.”

“Don’t be a downer,” Dean says, sitting on the arm of the couch peering at Sam’s research, “Anything interesting?”

“Well, we’re on a witch hunt, that’s for sure, but this isn’t your typical hex bag,” Sam says.

“Hmm, no?”

Sam picks up a dried herb.

“That my friend is goldthread. Been extinct two hundred years,” Harley says, looking up from her computer.

“Not to mention the six hundred year old Celtic coin,” Chase adds.

Dean picks up the small charred bone and smells it.

“And um… that is the charred metacarpal bone of a newborn baby,” Sam says.

Dean sets the bone down, looking disgusted, “Gross.”

Sam picks the bone back up, “Relax man, it’s like, at least a hundred years old.”

“Oh, right, like that makes it better? Witches, man, they’re so friggin’ skeevy.”

“Hey! I used to have witch friends. Some of them are awesome.” Harley says indignantly.

“I’m sure they had wonderful personalities,” Chase says, only half joking.

“Yeah, well this one is pretty powerful to be able to put a bag like this together. More juice than we’ve ever dealt with, that’s for sure.”

“What about you?” Harley asks Dean. “Find anything on the victim?”

“This Luke Wallace? He was so vanilla, he made vanilla look spicy.” Sam scoffs at this. “I can’t seem to find any reason anyone would’ve wanted him dead,” Dean finishes.

***

The four hunters walk down a wooden staircase to a basement. A police officer is talking to a girl in a cheerleader’s uniform. Forensic workers are taking pictures of different things around the room. A bobbing-for-apples bin seems to be the culprit of most of the pictures.

“Have you been drinking?” The police officer asks the girl - Tracy, the four hunters had been informed.

“Yes,” she says, nodding her head. Mascara ran down her face and her blonde hair looked unkempt, obviously upset by the other girl’s death.

Sam goes to join them, but Dean puts a hand up. “I got this one.”

“Are you sure?” Chase asks. “Maybe Harley or I should, since you know, girls are more likely to enclose information to female officers and detectives.”

Dean rolls his eyes, stepping forward anyway.

“Two words; Jail bait,” Sam says.

Dean looks abashed for a second. “I would never-”

Sam rolls his eyes as Chase scoffs.

“Yet you really want to talk to the highschooler, c’mon Dean, let’s be real here,” Harley points out.

Sam and Chase shake their heads at their older brother’s antics, and wander around the room, searching for hex bags.

“Guess you’re stuck with me,” Harley says, beaming a fake smile at Dean for effect.

The two walk over to the cheerleader, “It’s just so weird. The water in the tub – it wasn’t hot, I had just been in there myself,” They heard her explain to the beat cop.

“Your friend didn’t happen to know a man named Luke Wallace?” Dean asks drawing attention to the pair who promptly pulled out their badges and showed them off, “Agent Seger, F.B.I. This is agent Jett.”

“Um, who’s Luke Wallace?” Tracy asks, looking a little too innocent.

“He died yesterday,” Harley explains.

“I don’t know who that is.”

Chase finds a hex bag in a couch cushion, and gets the attention of Sam. She tosses it to him, as inconspicuously as possible, which isn’t inconspicuous at all. Sam holds it up to get Dean and Harley’s attention. Dean notices and nods, his eyes widening slightly.

“Thank you,” Dean says. “That’ll be all for now.” He steers Harley back over to the other two, planning to go to the motel room to discuss their plan of action.

***

Harley sits on Dean’s bed reading through the witch section of her journal, hoping to find something of use. Sam is spread out on his, looking through a pile of books. Dean is on the computer at the table, and Chase, eating candy while reading through her own notes of lore across from him.

Dean speaks up first, as he had found something or more accurately a lack of something, “I’m telling you, both these vics are squeaky clean. There is no reason for a wicked bitch payback.”

“Maybe cause it’s not about that,” Sam suggests. Dean gives him a confused look.

“How insightful,” Chase says wryly.

“Could be a ritual or a spell?” Harley says.

“Exactly!” Sam exclaims. “Maybe this witch isn’t working a grudge. Maybe she’s working a spell. Come check this out.”

The three other hunters cast a look to each other before shrugging and crowding around Sam. “Three blood sacrifices over three days, the last before midnight on the final day of the final harvest. Celtic Calendar, the final day of the final harvest is October 31st,” Sam reads.

“Halloween,” Dean responds, realization dawning on him.

“Halloween’s tomorrow,” Chase says. “How perfect.”

“What happens if the spell’s completed?” Harley asks.

“Well, if I’m right, these blood sacrifices are a part of a ritual to raise a demon. And not just any demon; Samhain.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” Dean asks. Chase smacks him lightly on the shoulder, casting him a warning look.

“I thought Samhain was a holiday, not a demon.” Harley says quietly.

“Really guys? Samhain is the damn origin of Halloween. The Celts believed that October 31st is the one night of the year where the veil was the thinnest between the living and the dead. It was Samhain’s night. I mean, masks were put on to hide from him, sweets left on doorsteps to appease him, faces carved into pumpkins to worship him. He was exorcised centuries ago.” Sam explains.

“In all fairness, it’s also the name of the holiday,” Harley defends, causing Sam to sigh.

“So even though Samhain took a trip downstairs, the tradition stuck,” Dean clarifies.

“Exactly, only now instead of demons and blood orgies Halloween is all about kids, candy and costumes,” Sam finishes.

“You say that like candy and costumes can’t be for adults,” Chase jokes.

“Yeah. I’ll have you know Halloween is my favourite holiday because of the candy and costumes,” Harley adds indignantly.

“I’ll also have you two know that Harley and I will be dressing up this year for Halloween.”

Sam and Dean look between the two girls before simultaneously rolling their eyes. They turn back to each other.

“So some witch wants to raise Samhain and take back the night?” Dean asks nonchalantly.

“Dean, this is serious,” Sam says.

“I am serious,” Dean responds.

��Yeah, and I’m a natural blonde,” Chase says sarcastically. Dean shoots her a look that says, ‘Not helping’.

“We’re talking heavyweight witchcraft. This ritual can only be performed every six hundred years.” Sam says ignoring Chase.

“And the six hundred year mark rolls around…?” Dean asks hesitantly.

“Tomorrow night,” Sam deadpans.

The three other hunters groan.

“Of course,” Chase says.

“Naturally,” Dean says, flipping to the next page in the book, revealing a picture of a demon standing atop a pile of dead bodies.

“That’s a lot of death and destruction for one demon.”

“That’s because he likes company. Once Samhain is raised, he can do some raising of his own.”

“Raising what, exactly?” Chase asks. “Do I want to know?”

“Dark, evil crap, and a lot of it. I mean, they follow him around like the freakin’ pied piper.”

“So, we’re talking ghosts?” Chase asks.

“Yeah,” Sam nods.

“Zombies?” Harley asks.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Leprechauns?” Dean asks, his eyebrows raising.

“Dean,” Sam starts, giving him a look.

“Those little dudes are scary,” Dean says in defense. “Small hands.”

Chase rolls her eyes and Harley stifles a laugh.

“Look, it just starts with ghosts and ghouls, this sucker keeps on going, by night's end we are talking every awful thing we have ever seen. Everything we fight, all in one place,” Sam explains.

“So, it’ll be a slaughterhouse,” Dean says.

***

Sam and the girls were in the hotel room trying to find out more about Samhain.

“Hey, check this out,” Chase starts. “Samhain is actually pronounced ‘Sah-win’. How stupid.”

“All I’ve found so far is that he was the Celtic lord of the dead, so he was basically Irish Hades, and that apple bobbing was the original bouquet toss.” Harley sighs.

“I’ll call Dean,” Sam says. “Maybe he’s found something.”

Sam dials Dean’s number and lets it ring, putting the call on speaker phone. Dean answers on the first ring, his voice coming through the phone loudly.

“Hey.”

“How’s it going?” Sam asks.

“Awesome, yeah, I talked with Mrs. Razor Blade again. I’ve been sitting out in front of her house for hours and I’ve got a big steamy pile of nothing.”

“Dean!” Chase exclaims. “She has an actual name, you know.”

“Whatever.”

“Look Dean, someone planted those hex bags, someone with access to both houses. There’s gotta be some connection,” Sam explains.

“Yeah, well I hope we find ‘em soon cause I’m starting to cramp like a – Son of a bitch!”

“Quit whining.”

“No, I mean, son of a bitch.”

“Would it kill you to clarify?” Harley asks.

***

Dean enters the motel room in a hurry, throwing his keys onto the bed.

“So, our apple bobbing cheerleader?” Sam asks.

“Tracy?” Dean starts in disbelief.

“Mm-hmm?” Chase asks. “What about her?”

“She’s the Wallace’s babysitter.”

“Okay, so they know each other,” Chase says. “What about it?”

“Actually,” Harley starts. “Tracy told us that she had no idea who Luke Wallace was.”

“Huh. Interesting look for a centuries old witch,” Sam shrugs.

“Yeah, well, if you were a six hundred year old hag and you could pick any costume to come back in, wouldn’t you go for a hot cheerleader?” Dean asks. “I would.”

“I was almost a cheerleader.” Harley mentions.

Dean looks to her in shock. “Now that, I would love to see,” he says in a suggestive tone.

“Oh, gross,” Chase says. “Do that in private!”

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Dean says.

“Liar,” Sam coughs. Before Dean can say anything to him, Sam gestures to his computer screen. “Well, Tracy’s not as wholesome as she looks. Did some digging- apparently she got into a violent altercation with one of her teachers. She got suspended from school.” Sam passes Dean the laptop, which he takes and sets in his lap. Scrolling through the information slowly, Harley and Chase look over either of his shoulders to read along.

There was a picture of Tracy and next to her all her information.

***

Dean was staring at a demonic looking mask as the three other hunters walked in.

“Bring back memories?” Sam asks.

“What do you mean?” Dean asks.

“Being a teenager, all that angst.”

“You say that as though all teenagers are angsty,” Chase says jokingly.

The boys turn to her, eyebrows raised. “You want us to go there?” Dean asks.

“What’s the worst you could say?”

“Uh,” Sam starts, “Two words. Sophomore year.”

Chase stutters at that, turning pink. “Okay, okay, I get it. Moving on.”

Harley starts to laugh, but Chase nudges her. “Oh hush, Harley. Don’t pretend sophomore year was any prettier for you.”

“Fair enough,” Harley responds, stifling her laughter

Dean points at a teenage boy putting a bong-shaped item into a kiln. “Now that brings back memories,” he laughs. Chase rolls her eyes at him, knowing exactly which memory he is referring to. It had ended with Dean being grounded and Chase being in charge of Sam for a whole week.

“I always wanted to try that,” Harley says sadly, “Another first I missed out on.”

“It’s not as great as it looks, trust me,” Chase says. “It’s actually gross and makes breathing not fun for the few moments after.”

“You agents wanted to talk to me?” A man interrupts.

The four turn to see Don Harding approaching them.

“Ah, Mr. Harding,” Sam starts.

“Please, Don.”

“Okay, Don,” Sam corrects, shaking his hand.

“Even my students call me Don,” the teacher laughs, continuing to shake each of their hands.

“Yeah, we get it, Don,” Dean says. Chase quickly casts him a glare.

The four of them pull out their badges, Dean introducing them. “I’m Agent Getty, this is Agent Lee, Agent Jett, and Agent Turner.”

“We just have a few questions about Tracy Davis,” Chase says.

“Ah, yes, Tracy. Bright kid, loads of talent. It’s a shame she got suspended.”

“We heard you two had a violent altercation?” Harley asks.

“Yeah, she exploded. If Principal Murrow hadn’t walked by when he did, Tracy would’ve clawed my eyes out.”

“Why?” Sam asks.

“I, uh, you know, I was only trying to rap with her about her work. It had gotten inappropriate and disturbing.”

Dean points to the mask he was looking at earlier, “More disturbing, than, uh, those guys?”

“She would cover page after page with these bizarre cryptic symbols, and then there were the drawings. Detailed images of killings, gory, primitive, and she would depict herself in the middle of them, participating.”

Sam pulled out a small plastic bag with the Celtic coin in it, “Symbols, what kind of symbols? Uh, anything like this?”

“Yeah, yeah, I think that might have been one of them.”

“You know where Tracy is now?” Dean asks.

“I would imagine her apartment.”

“Her apartment?”

“Yeah, she got here about a year ago, alone, as I understood it, as an emancipated teen. God only knows what her parents were like.”

***

“So, how long do I leave this in your hair again?” Chase asks, looking at the box of bleach. She pulls on her sleeves, the white dress shirt tugging oddly at her neck.

“About another thirty minutes or so.”

“It’s already been over an hour, Harley. Are you sure this is right?”

“I’ve bleached my hair like a million times. As long as I let it rest for like a week it’ll be fine.”

“I mean, like, if you insist, but that seems way too excessive. Now, how do I look?” Chase asks, adding the final part of her costume- black cat ears. “I left the coat off for now, so I guess you can’t give me an accurate response but still. Am I making Catiel proud?”

“It’s purrfect.” Harley says laughing.

“Why, thank you darling. Now, you’ve got to shower once your hair is done, but what do you need for your costume, or are you all set?”

“Yeah, the only thing that didn’t come with the costume was combat boots, and I wear those almost every day.”

“Fair. Can you hop in the shower now, or must we kill your hair for longer?”

“We’re not killing it, just stripping it of natural oils and nutrients.”

“That is literally what bleach is doing. It’s killing your hair!”

“I was trying to make it sound better!”

“Well, you did not succeed.”

“If it really bothers you that much, I’ll wash it out. Jeez!”

“Don’t jeez me.”

“Just did.”

“Fine! Go wash your hair, before it shrivels into nothing. Then we’ll finish getting dressed. I don’t want you walking around in a towel when Dean gets back.”

“I thought you wanted me to make a move.”

“Yeah, but not in front of me.” Chase stifles a laugh, casting a look to Harley. “I do not need to see my brother and best friend going at anything, innocent or otherwise. And let’s face it. If Dean’s involved, it won’t be innocent.”

Harley devolves into a fit of laughter, followed by Chase who also can’t contain herself any longer. “Am I wrong?” She asks.

“No,” Harley laughs, shaking her head.

“Thought so. Now get in the shower. I’m going to be sitting right here, on the counter, reading until you're done. Don’t mind me,” Chase says, hopping onto the bathroom counter next to the sink, picking up a book she’d placed there earlier.

Harley obeys and strips before getting in the shower. She screams as the cold water hits her, shivering she runs out and waits until the water warms up.

“You’re such a baby,” Chase says. She hops off the counter and starts to clean up, but, not paying much attention, accidentally spills the left over bleach onto her arm, her sleeve rolled up to her elbows, exposing the skin.

“Shit! Motherfucker, I spilled bleach on me, dammit.”

“Who’s the baby now?” Harley teases from behind the shower curtain.

“Oh shut up,” Chase says, pushing the curtain back far enough to reach her arms in and wash the bleach off. Casting an accusing glance at her friend, she retreats back to the counter. “Carry on.”

“My Wayward Son.”

“There’ll be peace when you are done!” Chase sings loudly, trying her hardest to be obnoxious.

“Lay your weary head to rest!” Harley continues.

They finish together, singing, “Don’t you cry no more!”

“Crap, shit, fuck! I got it in my eye! Towel!” Harley screams, pushing her head and a hand out of the shower.

Chase rushes and hands a towel to her. Harley wipes her eyes and hands, breathing out a sigh of relief.

“You are so dumb sometimes,” Chase says, crossing her arms. “So, are you done now?”

“Almost just give me one last rinse to make sure I got everything.”

“So, you bleached it for the costume, but what color are you going next. You for sure aren’t sticking with blonde for long.”

“Maybe a nice blue? I don’t know. Whatever I feel like at the time,” Harley decides.

“Fair, fair. I’m thinking purple or dark blue once these red streaks fade out.” Chase reaches into the shower, turning the water from warm to cold.

Harley screams again. “Chase, you motherfucking bitch, don’t think I won’t kill you,” She says getting out, turning the water off, and wrapping herself up with her dyed, rainbow, zebra towel.

Chase looks at her with a straight face, as Harley looks back, unsure of what Chase is going to do. Chase bolts.

She runs out of the bathroom, followed by a screaming Harley, looking back to laugh at Harley. She runs into something and starts to fall backwards, but is stopped from disgracefully landing on her ass by two strong arms. She looks to see Castiel gazing at her with a half confused, half worried expression.

“Oh,” Chase says in surprise, breathing hard. “Hey. Watcha doin?”

Castiel looks over Chase’s head to look at Harley who looks as though she’s about to die from laughing so hard.

“Harley? Chase? Are you two okay?” Cas asks.

Chase nods, whilst Harley can barely breathe enough to answer, just putting a thumbs up. “Yeah, we’re fine. Why do you ask?” Chase asks nonchalantly.

“You were running, screaming, and you’ve got burns on your arm.”

Chase looks down to see that the bleach that had spilled on her earlier had indeed burned her slightly. “Oh this is nothing. Harley got some in her eyes, so I mean. It’s whatever.”

Cas frowns at Chase. He moves one of his hands, both of which were still holding onto Chase’s biceps, and places it over the burns. A second later, they’re gone.

“Oh, thanks. Anyway, you can let go of me now. I’m sure I’m less inclined to fall at the given moment.”

“Oh, right, yes. Of course, I’m sorry,” Cas stutters, stepping back.

“Why are you here?” Harley asks, “And why now? It’s not really the best time. I’m kind of naked.”

“Like I said previously. I have no wish to see you two in an indecent state. You can, uh, go get dressed. I’ll be here.”

Chase nods and walks back over to Harley.

“Lovely, thanks Cas,” Harley says, grabbing her costume.

The two girls rush back into the bathroom and quickly finish changing. Chase shrugs on her coat, replacing the cat ears, which had become crooked during her run-in with Cas. Harley finishes changing into her costume as well.

Chase whistles, peering over at Harley. “Lookin’ good.”

“Thanks,” Harley says, tightening her pigtails, “Ready to face Cas dressed as Catiel?”

“I’m sure he won’t even notice. He’s acting weird today.”

“He’s always acting weird.”

“Okay, but like, weird for Cas.”

“Fair enough.”

“I hope nothing’s wrong. He seemed. I don’t know. He looked genuinely worried for a second there though, and that was kinda funny.”

“Tell you what. We’ll monitor him for a while see if something is up, and if it is, we’ll try to fix it.”

“You say the proposition as if I were actually worried,” Chase says, brushing the comment off. “I’m sure he’s fine. Let’s go see what he wants this time.”

The girls left the bathroom to see Castiel squinting more than usual. Specifically at Chase, “Are you dressed as me?”

“Okay, I stand corrected. He noticed very quickly,” Chase laughs.

“I always notice you.”

Chase raises an eyebrow at him. He frowns.

“And no, actually,” Chase states, putting her hands on her hips, her trenchcoat framing her body in a baggy way - She’d only been able to find a men’s trenchcoat in the same color as Cas’. “I’m obviously dressed as Catiel.” She dramatically points to her cat ears. “Duh!”

“Who is Catiel?” A man’s voice asks. The two girls whip around to see a tall dark-skinned man in a three piece suit staring at them inquisitively.

“My son,” Chase says. “And who are you?”

Cas turns to Chase in confusion.

The man turns to Cas in confusion.

“You slept with this mud-monkey?”

Cas turns to the man with wide eyes. “No, of course not.”

“Mud monkey?” Chase demands. “Okay, who the hell are you? And what do you mean ‘of course not’, like it’s a bad thing?”

Castiel turns back to Chase. “I’m not saying it would be a bad- Nevermind. This is Uriel. A brother of mine.”

“Ah, so that explains the rude personality and arrogant attitude,” Chase says.

“Excuse me?” Uriel starts, walking towards Chase, anger in his eyes.

Cas steps between Uriel and Chase. “Enough. We can explain why we’re here.” Cas turns back to the two girls. “Where are Sam and Dean?”

Chase looks at Harley, shrugging.

“Out looking for this Tracy chick. They should be back any minute, unless they've found her, but they would’ve called us if they had.”

“We should wait for them,” Castiel says.

“Kay, so what should we do in the meantime?” Harley asks.

“Who is Catiel?” Uriel repeats.

Luckily no one had to answer that question as Sam came into the room guns blazing. “Who are you?” Sam demands, pointing the gun at Castiel.

Chase rushes forward, putting herself between them. “Sam, stop. This is Cas!”

“Sam!” Dean shouts at the same time, rushing in behind him. “This is Castiel. The angel.”

Sam lowers his gun as his eyes fill with awe.

“Him, I don’t know,” Dean says, casting a glance to Uriel who is standing once again by the window.

“Hello, Sam,” Cas says, gently scooting Chase aside.

“Oh my God – er – uh – I didn’t mean to – sorry. It’s an honor, really, I – I’ve heard a lot about you,” Sam says, tripping over his words.

“And I you, Sam Winchester.” Sam smiles, before frowning at Cas’ next words. “The boy with the demon blood. Glad to see you’ve ceased your extracurricular activities.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” Uriel says, finally speaking up.

“Yeah, okay, Chuckles,” Dean says. “Who’s your friend?” He asks Cas.

“This, the raising of Samhain, have you stopped it?” Cas asks, ignoring Dean’s question.

“Why?” Dean asks.

“Dean, have you located the witch?”

“Yes, we’ve located the witch.”

“And is the witch dead?”

“No, bu-” Sam starts.

“We know who it is.” Dean says.

Castiel walks over to Chase’s bedside table where he picks up a hex bag, “Apparently the witch knows who you are too. This was inside the wall of the girl’s room. If we hadn’t found it, surely one or both of them would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?”

The four hunters share an ‘oh, shit’ look.

“We’re working on it,” Dean says.

“That’s unfortunate,” Cas says, turning slightly to Uriel.

“What do you mean, Cas?” Chase asks.

“The raising of Samhain is one of the 66 seals.”

“So this is about your buddy, Lucifer,” Dean says.

“Lucifer is no friend of ours.”

“It’s an expression,” Dean says, rolling his eyes at Uriel.

“Lucifer cannot rise.” Castiel looks at each of the four hunters seriously. “The breaking of the seal must be prevented at all costs.”

“Okay, great, well now that you’re here, you can just tell us where she is and we’ll gank her,” Dean says. “Everybody goes home.”

“We are not omniscient. This witch is very powerful. She has cloaked even our methods.”

“Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together,” Sam starts.

“Enough of this,” Uriel says.

“Okay, who are you and why should I care?” Dean demands.

“So like your sister,” Uriel says in disgust, his glare turning from Dean to Chase.

Chase smiles at him.

“This is Uriel. He’s what you might call a specialist.”

“What kind of specialist? What’re you gonna do?” Dean demands.

“You-uh- all of you need to leave this town immediately.”

The four hunters turn to Cas in confusion.

“Why?” Harley finally speaks up.

“Because we’re going to destroy it.”

“Excuse me?” Chase demands.

“We can’t risk the seal breaking. This is the only way-”

“Bullshit!”

“So this is your plan?” Dean asks. “You’re gonna smite the whole fucking town?”

“We’re out of time,” Castiel explains. “The witch has to die. The seal must be saved.”

“There are a thousand people here,” Sam protests.

“One thousand, two hundred, and fourteen,” Uriel chimes in.

“And you’re willing to kill them all?” Sam asks.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve...purified a city.”

“Yeah, well this isn’t fucking Sodom and Gomorrah, you prick, so why don’t you shove a-”

Castiel puts a hand on Chase’s shoulder, keeping her from approaching Uriel, silencing her as well.

“I understand this is regrettable,” Cas says. Chase whirls to look at Cas.

“Regrettable?” Her and Dean chorus.

“We have to hold the line. Too many seals have already broken.”

“So you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay?” Dean asks.

“It’s the lives of one thousand to the lives of six billion. We’re looking at the bigger picture.”

“Right, cause you’re bigger picture kind of guys.”

“It takes individual brush strokes to make a painting, Cas,” Chase says, stepping away from him. “You can’t be serious about this.”

“Lucifer cannot rise,” Cas says, a begging tone encroaching on his voice. “He does and Hell rises with him. Is that something you’re really willing to risk?”

“We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone. Your seal won't be broken and no one has to die,” Sam says.

“We’re wasting our time with these mud monkeys,” Uriel says.

“Again with the mud monkeys-” Chase is once again stopped from stomping over to Uriel and doing God knows what. Cas pulls her back towards him, dropping his hand as she turns a glare to him.

“I’m sorry, but we have our orders,” Cas says, walking to Uriel.

“No, you can’t do this, you’re angels, I mean aren’t you supposed to – You’re supposed to show mercy,” Sam says, stumbling over his words.

“Says who?” The dick in the three piece suit says.

“We have no choice,” Castiel says.

“Of course you have a choice. I mean, come on, what? You’ve never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both, just a couple of hammers?” Dean asks.

“Look, even if you can’t understand it, have faith. The plan is just.”

“How can you even say that?” Chase asks.

“Because it comes from heaven. That makes it just.”

“Must be nice to be so sure of yourselves.”

“Tell me something, Dean, when your father gave you an order, didn’t you obey?”

Dean pauses, before shaking his head. “Well, sorry boys, but the plan has changed.”

“You think you can stop us?” Uriel asks.

Dean walks over to Uriel and stands on his tip toes, trying to match his height, “No, but if you’re gonna smite this whole town, then you’re gonna have to smite us with it, because we are not leaving. See, you went to the trouble of busting me out of hell. I figure I’m worth something to the man upstairs. So you wanna waste me, go ahead, see how he digs that.”

“I will drag you out of here myself.”

“Yeah, but you’ll have to kill me, then we’re back to the same problem. I mean, come on, you're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch. Sounds to me like you're compensating for something.” Dean turns to Castiel. “We can do this. We will find that witch and stop the summoning.”

“Castiel!” Uriel snaps. “I will not let these peop-”

“Enough!” Cas shouts.

He sends an apologetic look to Chase, who jumped back in surprise and fear. He turns back to Dean. “I suggest you move quickly.”

Dean nods to him and then leaves with Sam, sending a quick, “Meet us at the high school. Also, nice costume, Harley,” before closing the door behind him.

Uriel rolls his eyes, disappearing from view. Cas nods to the girls, about to poof away. Chase stops him by placing a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Cas. Really.”

Cas pauses, staring at her, before nodding. “Be quick and be careful.”

“When am I not careful?” Chase jokes.

Cas raises an eyebrow at her before smiling slightly. “Goodbye.”

With that, he’s gone. Chase turns back to Harley. “Time to go kick ass like normal, I guess.”

***

“So you and Cas seemed pretty cozy,” Harley brings up.

“I have absolutely no idea what you could be possibly referring to,” Chase says, starting Jack.

“‘I always notice you.’”

“Yeah, well, he’s an angel. He probably didn’t like that I insinuated that he was oblivious.”

“What about you getting all offended because he said ‘of course’ he didn’t sleep with you.”

“Hey, that insinuated that I’m not physically appealing, and that’s just rude and a lie.”

“Suuuuuuure.”

Chase rolls her eyes. “Dean seemed to like your costume,” she smirks. “Kept side-eyeing you like you were pie.”

“He side eyes anything with boobs.”

“It’s different with you though. It’s obvious something is there and I will get my 100 dollars, and you will end up being my sister officially. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“Okay, so I might like him, but-”

“HA!” Chase exclaims, looking away, then looking back at the road once more. “I got an admission! I knew it! I fucking knew it! Hell yeah! Finally!”

“Shut up, it’s a recent development, and I said might.”

“Uh huh, sure,” Chase says in disbelief.

“Anyway, I was saying that it doesn’t mean we’re gonna end up together.”

“Ugh, don’t even. Puh-lease. It’s as obvious you like my brother and he likes you and you two will, and I mean will, end up together as I l-” Chase cuts herself off. “As, I don’t know. Something obvious.”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Doubt all you want, but I believe it’ll happen. And we all know that I’m always correct about my inklings.”

“I don’t know about always.”

“Yeah, well. You’re not always right either then. Which means you’re not right about Cas and I, or about you and Dean.”

“All I’m saying is I’m seeing sparks fly. Very heavenly sparks.”

“You mean like the sparks that literally flew when we first met Cas? Because I saw those too.”

“Not literal sparks,” Harley facepalms.

“Yeah, yeah, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. Sparks or not, he’s an angel. An actual heavenly soldier. I’d have better luck trying to court a siren.”

“A siren that looks like Cas.”

“Whoever the siren may or may not look like is not the point here.”

“I’m sure you could make something work.”

“Of course I could. I’m me. If I really wanted to, I could easily make something work, wait- no, no, no, wipe that smile off of your face.” Chase sighs. “Shut up.”

“Never.”

“Castiel is an angel. Handsome, yes, obviously. But, he is an angel, so no. I’d rather not go there and risk getting hurt. You, on the other hand, have an actual chance at something with Dean. Since, you know, he is definitely not an angel.”

“I thought you could ‘easily’ make something work.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. Use my words against me! Why do I ever open my mouth around you.” Chase glances at Harley, frowning. “Here’s the deal. The moment I see something from him, I’ll think about it. But until then, no. Not happening. Never. No way.”

“Fine, this was a marginally successful conversation.”

“I said think,” Chase mutters. She pulls into the parking lot of the high school, stopping next to Baby. “Anyway, we have more pressing matters at hand than my non existent love life. Shall we, madam?”

“We shall,” Harley says, opening the door of the Lincoln, and stepping out.

***

“So Tracy used the kiln to char the bone. What’s the big deal?” Dean asks as the four hunters file into the empty classroom.

“Dean, that hex bag turned up in the girls’ room, not after we talked to Tracy-”

“After we talked to the teacher,” Dean says in sudden realization.

“Guys, look at this,” Chase says, finding and unsuccessfully opening a locked drawer on the teacher’s desk.

Harley reaches over and hits the latch with a hammer she’d found on the table nearby, easily breaking the latch free.

“Oh my God,” Chase says, looking into the drawer.

“My God- those are all from children!” Sam exclaims.

Wrinkling her nose, Chase gets up and walks backwards a step, away from the drawer, allowing Dean to peer into it.

“I’m guessing he’s not saving them for the dog,” Dean jokingly says.

***

The four hunters rush down the stairs of the two story house, into a dark basement, jumping into action as they spot the teacher, Don Harding, raising a knife to stab a bound and gagged Tracy, who has tears running down her terrified face.

“Te invoco apro fundus inferni-” Don starts.

All four immediately try to help, but Chase gets to it first, shooting Don three times in the back. He slumps gracelessly to the ground and Tracy shrieks through her rag. Sam goes over and cuts Tracy down. The four put their guns away, checking on the body, Harley going over to the altar to investigate.

“Are you alright?” Chase asks Tracy, letting the boys deal with the body.

“Thank you, he was gonna kill me! Ugh, that sick son of a bitch. I mean, did you see what he was doing?”

“I did, and I’m so sorry.”

“Did you hear him? How sloppy his incantation was?”

Chase pauses. “I’m sorry- what?”

“My brother,” Tracy starts.

Dean and Sam reach for their guns, pointing them at Tracy. Harley turns upon hearing Tracy’s words, also pulling out hers.

Tracy throws her hand out, knocking Chase to the side, and throwing the boys back. They all begin to squirm in pain, the feeling of fiery tendrils wrapping around them.

“Always a little dim,” she finished, throwing Harley against the opposite wall. “He was gonna make me the final sacrifice, his idea, but now, that honor goes to him. Our master’s return? The spellwork’s a two man job you understand, so for six hundred years I had to deal with that pompous son of a bitch. Planning, preparing, unbearable.”

Tracy kneels down next to Don after retrieving the chalice and knife. “The whole time, I wanted to rip his face off.” She collects his blood in the chalice, and gets up. “And you get him with a gun, uh, love that.” The witch goes back to the black altar. “You know, back in the day, this was the one day you kept your children inside. Well tonight you’ll all see what Halloween really is.”

Chase watches as Sam and Dean begin to smear blood on their faces. Sitting up slightly, she casts a glance at Harley. Harley’s eyes widen and she gestures for Chase to follow the boys’ suit.

Tracy begins to say the incantation again, this time, uninterrupted. Chase manages to scoot herself next to the boys, where Sam promptly rubs his hand on her face. The sharp metallic smell pierces her nose, causing her to wrinkle it in disgust.

Harley follows suit, sidling up beside them. She doesn’t let Sam do it for her, however, and uses her own hand instead. Chase rolls her eyes, a small smile on her face as she sees Harley lick her hand clean of the leftover blood, having smeared a generous amount onto her face.

Tracy stops speaking and the room is still for a few solitary moments before the body of Don Harding stirs on the ground. No longer Don, the body rises, his eyes an off white, tinged slightly blue. The demon, Samhain, smiles slightly, turning to look at Tracy. He kisses her.

The girls look to each other in disgust, but lie still alongside the boys, so as to not draw attention to themselves.

“My love,” Tracy says in an airy voice.

“You’ve aged.”

Tracy turns slightly pink. “This face- I can’t fool you.”

“Your beauty is beyond time,” Samhain says. He leans forward, resting his forehead against hers.

With a quick movement, a resounding crack fills the room as Samhain snaps Tracy’s neck, her body falling to the floor in a heap.

“Whore,” Samhain mutters. He turns around and sniffs the air, for what who knows? He walks over to the hunters pausing to look at them for a second before leaving.

As soon as Samhain is gone, the four sit up, looking to each other in panic.

“What the hell was that?” Dean demands.

“Yeah,” Chase agrees. “The blood seems a little much.”

“Halloween lore. People used to wear masks to hide from him, so I gave it a shot,” Sam explains.

“You gave it a shot?” Dean asks.

“That’s a lot banking on the idea it might work,” Chase says, standing.

“Better safe than sorry,” Harley says.

***

The girls climb into the Lincoln, quickly heading to the cemetery.

“So, Samhain has risen, we’ve royally fucked up, and I let Cas down. Wonderful. I’m going to guess that since he’s been risen, exorcising him won’t actually fix the seal or anything. Ugh, damnit!” Chase says, pressing harder on the gas, blowing a few loose strands of hair out of her face. She frowns deeply, sparing a single glance to Harley.

“On the bright side, we can still save the town?” Harley says, unsure of her words.

“I guess,” Chase sighs.

The girls pull up beside Baby and quickly climb out of their seats. They go to the trunk and each grab an assortment of weapons that might be useful against any of the monsters that they might face.

The four of them quickly rush to the mausoleum that is emitting terrified screams, yelling, and rap music.

Climbing down the stairs, the four hunters see teens locked in a room, screaming, clawing at the door to get out. Blood splatters the walls and floor, zombies attacking the students. A ghost is also terrorizing them, adding to the panic.

“Help them,” Sam tells them.

“You’re not going off alone,” Dean says.

“Do it!” Sam exclaims, running off in the direction Samhain must have gone.

“Yeah, he’s not going off alone,” Chase says. “You two, help them.”

Chase runs off after Sam, leaving Harley and Dean to fend for the panicked teens.

Dean turns and gestures for the teens to move away from the door. “Stand back, stand back!” He shoots the lock and kicks the door in. The teens look at the two startled.

Harley rolls her eyes. “Go on, come on, get out, move!” She yells at them.

The two rush in as more zombies appear, crawling out of collapsing mausoleum doors.

“Bring it on, stinky,” Dean says, holding up a silver stake.

Harley shoots him a look at his choice of weapon as she pulls out her own stake - this one made of oak (the recommended way to kill a zombie). “You really couldn’t think of anything better than stinky.” Harley says kicking a zombie before staking it to the floor, “And don’t be gettin your decaying atrophy ooze all over my shoes,” She yells at the now dead (again) body.

***

Chase runs after Sam, losing him momentarily. A bright white light shines through one of the doorways and decides to run towards it. She sees Sam uppercutting Samhain when she makes it to the room.

Samhain’s attention gets diverted to Chase as she enters the room. A smirk crosses his face as he looks at her.

“You might not be affected by it, but I’m sure she is.”

Chase has just enough time to be confused before a blinding white light is directed at her. She feels herself forced back by an invisible wall, out into the hallway, where she’d just come from. She hits her head on the concrete wall, enough to cause her immense pain. Dizzy, she tries to open her eyes, before growing too weak to continue trying. Her eyes slip shut, but not before she sees Sam turn to her in horror, anger flashing across his features as he turns back to Samhain.

***

“Zombie ghost orgy huh? Well, that’s it, I’m torching everybody,” Dean says, having just dodged a ghost trying to attack him.

Harley manages to stake another zombie, huffing her blonde hair out of her face. She groans, looking at the blood on her shoes. “I said to stay away from the shoes!”

Dean manages to catch a lit match on a zombie’s clothes. This zombie, totally not thinking, meanders over to the other zombies, still crawling out of the crumbling doors. The entire batch goes up in flames, burning all the remains of the ghosts as well.

Making a quick getaway, the two sprint down the hallway in the direction Sam and Chase had earlier gone down.

Harley gasps in shock, seeing her best friend crumpled on the floor. She kneels next to her, feeling her wrist for a pulse. Dean, however, is distracted by the sight of Sam exorcising Samhain- with his mind.

Harley looks up, and her comment dies upon seeing Sam. They both look on in shock, until Don Harding’s body collapses, once again dead and inhabited, and Sam locks eyes with them, surprise and guilt lighting his features.

***

Harley and Chase stand around their hotel room, in bloody costumes, sore from the previous night’s events. Chase’s head still hurt like a bitch, having cracked her head enough to bleed profusely. Her vision had been too poor to drive, not that she’d have driven anyway; Dean had to carry her to the Lincoln, and Sam drove her back to the hotel, allowing Harley to drive with Dean.

Harley is packing her belongings while Chase picks up around the room.

They both turn upon hearing someone clear their throat. They are greeted with the sight of a stern looking Uriel, and a tired looking Cas.

“Well, hello, boys,” Chase says, wincing at the sound of her own voice. She wouldn’t admit it, but she still has a concussion due to her head injury. “What gives us the pleasure of speaking with you two?”

Uriel is surprisingly the first to speak. “Funny, isn’t it. You had the option of staying out of it, but here we are. The seal has broken. Just like I knew it would.”

The words cause both of the girls to frown. “Well, no need to be such a dick about it,” Harley says.

Uriel glares at her. “You would do well to mind your tongue around me, halfbreed. I’m hardly a patient person.”

“You got that right,” Chase mutters.

“I am here to warn you both about making rash decisions again,” Uriel looks from Harley to Chase. “And to keep your brother in line. You four are proving yourselves to be useful for now, but he is toeing a dangerous line.”

“How about you take the stick out of your ass already? Because I am not in the mood to be dealing with your downer self right now.”

“Are you injured?” Cas speaks up.

“Oh look,” Chase says sarcastically. “He speaks.”

“She is,” Harley says, rolling her eyes. “You know you can avoid the sarcasm sometimes, right?”

“I can’t. It simply can’t be done,” Chase says dramatically.

“Enough of this. I was here to warn, and I’ve done that. Hopefully, I won’t have to see you soon.”

With this, Uriel is gone. Castiel stares for a long time at the girls, while they stare back, confused.

“Where are you injured?”

“Well, my pride isn’t looking too good right now,” Chase says. Harley elbows Chase, causing her to groan in pain. “Ugh, whatever, fine. I banged my head on a nasty wall, and got concussed. I might’ve also fractured something. Who really knows with me?”

Castiel silently approaches, placing the palm of his hand against the back of Chase’s head, right where a large knot had formed, dried blood causing the area to seem worse than it is.

Within seconds, the pain and dizziness was gone. Blinking slightly, Chase looks up at Castiel. She only then realizes how much taller than her he is; He is roughly six feet, versus her small height of five foot four.

“Thanks,” Chase mutters.

“Of course.”

Clearing her throat, Harley looks back and forth between the two, still standing much too close to each other than necessary. Chase turns a bright red, jumping back with a tiny yelp. The corners of Castiel’s mouth flickers up, before remaining his serious expression.

“I will talk to you soon,” Cas says.

Before either girl can say goodbye, he disappears, poofing away to only God knows where. Chase feels Harley looking at her and groans, casting her eyes over to meet Harley’s. Harley’s eyes are wide, her eyebrows raised in amusement. A silent laugh is present in her voice.

“So…”

“Shut it.”

1 note · View note

angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Yellow Fever

The coroner opens a body bag.

“Agents, meet Frank O’Brien,” The coroner said.

“He died of a heart attack, right?” Chase asked.

“Three days ago.”

“But O'Brien was 44 years old and, according to this, a marathon runner.” Sam added.

“Everybody drops dead sooner or later. It's why I got job security.”

“Yeah, but Frank kicked it here. Now, just yesterday, two perfectly healthy men bit it in Maumee. All heart attacks, you don't think that's strange?” Dean asks.

“Sounds like Maumee's problem to me. Why's the FBI give a damn, anyway?”

“Look, we just want to see the autopsy results,” Harley says with a fake smile.

“What autopsy?”

“The one you are going to do.”

***

The coroner cuts open Frank O’Brien’s body, “First dead body?”

“Far from it,” Dean says.

“My mum, she used to make us watch autopsies during dinner when we were little.” Harley says smiling fondly down at the dead body, “For a while I actually wanted to be a coroner.”

“Fascinating,” The coroner says, slight hesitation in his voice, “Hand me the rib cutters, would you?”

“Sure,” Harley says, handing him the tool.

Sam looks uncomfortable, shifting on the heels of his feet, glancing at the others. Chase notices, but simply ignores his discomfort.

“Is that from a wedding ring? I didn't think Frank was married,” Chase says pointing at Frank’s left hand.

“Ain’t my department,” The coroner responds.

“Any idea how he got these?” Sam asks, picking up Frank’s left arm.

It was covered in red scratches.

“You know what? When you drop dead, you actually tend to drop. Body probably got scraped up when it hit the ground.” He pauses, his brows drawing together in confusion. “Huh.”

“What?” Chase asks, looking closer at what he’s looking at.

“I-I can't find any blockages in any of the major arteries,” The coroner says, taking the heart out of the body.

Dean gags, looking ready to vomit, noticed easily by Harley, who rolls her eyes.

“Heart looks pretty damn healthy,” The coroner says, handing the heart to Dean, “Hold that a second, would you?”

Sam smirks. Chase has to stifle a laugh, pretending to clear her throat.

The coroner cuts the spleen and it splashes all over Sam’s face causing Dean to smirk, and earning a small smile from Harley.

“Oh, sorry. Spleen juice,” The coroner says.

***

Sam, Dean, Chase, and Harley all sit waiting outside of the Sheriff’s office. The deputy smiles at Dean and the Sheriff opens his door.

“Hell's bells, Linus, have you seen my.... Who are they?” The Sheriff asks upon seeing the Winchesters plus one.

The group stands finally done waiting.

“Federal agents. I, uh....” Linus, the deputy, trails off.

“And you kept them waiting?” The Sheriff asks.

“You, you said not to disturb.”

“Come on back,” The Sheriff says, directed towards the fake feds.

The gang began to head to the door, but were stopped at it.

“Shoes off,” The Sheriff directed.

The hunters complied, but not before Harley rolled her eyes, and entered the office.

Chase shoots a confused look to Harley, slipping her boots off carefully, so that her knife isn’t seen.

Motioning them into the office, the Sheriff gestures to a few seats. “Al Britton,” he introduces himself. “Nice to meet you all.”

“You too,” Chase says.

Al shakes each of their hands before sitting down. He grabs hand sanitizer and begins to rub a lot onto his hands. Chase recoils at the strong smell, as does Harley.

“Okay, so, what can I do for Uncle Sam?” the Sheriff asks.

Ironically, Sam is the one to answer. “Well, we’re looking into the death of Frank O’Brien. We understand some of your men found his body.”

“They did. Me and Frank, we were friends. Hell, we were gamecocks.”

Dean laughs the tiniest bit under his breath, but silences himself with an elbow from both Chase and Harley, who sit on either side of him, and a stern look from the Sheriff.

“That's our softball team's name,” The Sheriff explains, “They're majestic animals. I knew Frank since high school. To be honest, I just this morning got up the strength to go see him. Frank was...He was a good man.”

“Yeah, big heart,” Dean comments.

Harley has to stifle a laugh receiving another look from the Sheriff and one from her best friend.

“Before he died, did you notice Frank acting strange? Maybe scared of something?” Chase asks.

“Oh hell, yeah. Real jumpy.” The Sheriff says.

“You know what scared him?” Sam asks.

“No. Wouldn't answer his phone. Finally, I sent some of my boys over to check on him, and well, you know the rest,” The Sheriff pours copious amounts of hand sanitizer into his hand and rubs it in.

The Winchesters all look at each other while Harley facepalms.

“So, why the Feds give a crap? You don't really think there's a case here?” The Sheriff asks.

“No, no. It's probably nothing. Just a heart attack,” Dean answers.

***

“No way that was a heart attack,” Dean says as the group walks to the cars.

“No way in hell, three guys going from freaked to terrified to dead with the same red scratches. Too improbable,” Harley says.

“Something scared them to death?”

“Okay, what can do that?” Chase asks.

“What can't? Ghosts, vampires, chupacabra? It could be a hundred things.”

“Yeah. So, we make a list and start crossing things off,” Sam suggests.

“Alright, who's the last person to see Frank O'Brien alive?” Harley asks.

“Uh, his neighbour, Mark Hutchins.”

Dean was looking ahead at teenagers by the cars, “Hang on, hang on.”

“What?”

“I don't like the looks of those teenagers down there.”

“Dean, we fight monsters. I think we can handle a few teenagers,” Harley laughs.

Still Dean crosses the street and everyone else followed, “Let's walk this way.”

Chase and Harley shoot each other a look.

***

“Tyler, Perry, Kramer, and Crespo. Just like Aerosmith,” Frank’s neighbor, Mark, noted.

“Yeah,” Sam says, looking around the room, “Small world. So, the last time you saw Frank O’Brien.”

Dean backs away quickly from a large lizard staring at him through a glass case, bumping into Harley.

Chase raises a brow at him, but turns back to Mark Hutchins.

“Monday, he was watching me from his window. I waved at him, but he just closed the curtains.”

“Did you talk to him recently?” Chase asks. “Did he seem different? Uh, scared?”

“Oh, totally. He was freaking out.”

Chase notices that Dean looks a little freaked and has since earlier that day. She frowns.

“Do you know what he was scared of perchance?” Harley asks.

“Well, yeah, witches.”

The gang all exchange glances.

“Witches?” Sam asks, “Like...?”

“Well, "Wizard of Oz" was on tv the other night, right? And he said that green bitch was totally out to get him.”

“Did anything else spook him?” Harley inquires.

“Everything else scared him. Al-Qaeda, ferrets, artificial sweetener. Those pez dispensers with their dead little eyes. Lots of stuff.”

Dean casts another glance towards the fish tank.

“So, tell me. What was Frank like?” Sam asks.

“I mean, he’s dead, you know? I don’t wanna hammer him, but he got better,” Hutchins says hesitantly.

“Got better how?” Chase asks.

“Well, in high school, he was a. Well, he was a dick.”

“A dick?” Harley asks.

“Like a bully,” he explains. “I mean, he probably taped half the town’s butt cheeks together.”

Chase wrinkles her nose at the thought. Dean snickers.

Hutchins continues, “Including mine.”

At this Dean stops, looking abashed, while Chase’s eyebrows shoot up in second hand embarrassment.

“So he pissed off a lot of people,” Dean says. “You think anyone might want to get revenge?”

Hutchins looks at them all, confused. “Well, I- Frank had a heart attack, right?”

“Just answer the question, sir,” Harley says.

“No, I don't think so. Like I said, he got better. And after what happened to his wife.”

Dean perks up a bit at the last statement, “His wife? So he was married.”

“She died about 20 years ago. Frank was really broken up about it.”

Harley notices Dean eyeing the snake around Mark’s neck and shoots him a confused look. Apparently Hutchins noticed too.

“Don't be scared of Donny. He's a sweetheart. It's Marie you got to look out for,” he says nodding to the couch the four were sat on, “She smells fear.”

An albino burmese python began to crawl up from behind the couch as if on cue. Harley pet it’s head. Dean gasps and stays uncomfortably still as Marie crawls across his lap. Chase smiles in delight, reaching out to run a hand down the length of her scales.

***

The girls were in the Lincoln ahead of the Impala headed to the motel, Sam and Dean on speakerphone.

“Frank's wife, Jessie, was a manic-depressive. She went off her meds back in '88 and vanished. They found her two weeks later, three towns over. Strung up in her motel room, suicide,” Dean says.

“Any chance Frank helped her along?” Harley asks.

“No, Frank was working the swing shift when she disappeared. Airtight alibi.”

“How was Frank’s pad?” Dean asks.

Sam’s voice comes through the speaker clearly, “Clean. Searched it top to bottom. No EMF, no hex bags, no sulfur.”

“So probably no ghosts,” Chase says.

“No witches,” Harley continues.

“And no demons,” Chase finishes, her grip on the steering wheel tightening.

“3 down and 97 to go,” Harley laughs.

“Dude, you’re going twenty,” Sam says.

“And?” Dean asks, his voice irritated, obvious despite the phone static. Chase raises a brow.

“That’s the speed limit,” Harley notes as they turn onto a different road. “We’re way past you guys. Almost back at the motel.”

“What? So safety’s a crime now?”

“Dude,” Sam exclaims, causing both girls to wince and cast a wary glance towards the phone. “What’re you doing? That was our motel!”

“Sam, I’m not going to make a left turn into oncoming traffic. I’m not suicidal.”

Harley and Chase simultaneously scoff at this.

“Did I just say that?” Dean asks.

“You did, indeedy,” Chase says.

“That was weird,” Harley says as Chase parks near their room.

An odd high pitched whine comes through the phone.

“What’s that guys?” Chase asks.

“Is that the EMF meter?”

The other line stays silent, before Dean suddenly exclaims, “Am I haunted? Am I haunted?”

The line goes dead, Chase and Harley shooting each other worried looks.

“What the fuck?” Chase asks.

***

Sam is on the phone talking to Bobby, while the girls read from various books of ghost lore. Music suddenly starts and the three look over and head over to see Dean lying in the Impala playing the air drums. Eye of the Tiger blasts from the radio and Chase and Harley smile.

Dean sits up, noticing the three. “Guys, look at this!” He pulls his sleeve back enough to show red scratches on his forearms. Chase and Harley frown and look to each other, worried. Sam nods.

“I just got done talking to Bobby,” Sam says.

“And?” Harley asks.

“Um, well y’all aren’t gonna like it.”

“What?” Dean asks.

“It’s ghost sickness.”

“Ghost sickness?”

Chase scoffs. “Sounds 100% made up.”

“It’s not. And Dean has it,” Sam says, shooting Chase a look.

“God, no,” Dean says.

“Yeah,” Sam sighs.

“I don’t even know what that is,” Dean says, his eyes widening in panic. Chase snorts out a laugh, shaking her head at the absurdity of the situation.

“Okay. Some cultures believe that certain spirits can infect the living with a disease, which is why they stopped displaying bodies in houses and started taking them off to funeral homes.”

“Lovely,” Harley comments, “So how’s it work?”

“Symptoms are you get anxious,” Sam starts, but Dean cuts him off.

“Yeah,” Dean confirms.

“Then scared, then really scared, then your heart gives out. Sound familiar?”

“Yeah, but, we haven't seen a ghost in weeks,” Dean counters.

“Pretty sure we were around a body that had it though,” Harley points out.

“Right. Now, Frank O'Brien was the first to die, which means he was probably the first infected. Patient zero,” Sams explains.

“Our very own outbreak monkey,” Chase says.

“Right. Get this. Frank was in Maumee over the weekend. Softball tournament. Which is where he must have infected the other two victims.”

“Were they gamecocks?” Dean asks, making fun of the name.

Sam gives him a stern look. “Cornjerkers.”

“So, ghosts infected Frank and he gave it to the other guys and I got it from his corpse?”

“Right.”

“So now what, I have forty eight hours before I go insane and my heart stops?” Dean demands.

“More like 24,” Harley points out.

Dean looks at her blankly. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” she replies cheerily.

He rolls his eyes. “So why only me? Why not you guys? Sam, you’re the one that got hit with spleen juice.”

Sam looks uncomfortable for a mere second. “Yeah, um, you see Bobby and I have a theory about that too. Turns out all three victims shared a certain, uh, personality type. Frank was a bully. The other two victims, one was a vice principal, the other was a bouncer.”

“Okay.”

“Basically, they were all dicks.”

Chase winces. “Wow, straight for the kill, man.”

“So you’re saying I’m a dick?” Dean asks.

“It’s okay, Dean, you’re my favourite dick...That sounded better in my head,” Harley says, trying to cheer Dean up.

“No, thanks, really. That helped bucketloads,” Dean says sarcastically.

Chase is fighting a smile, but gestures for Sam to continue.

“Well, it’s not just that. All three victims used fear as a weapon, and now this disease is just returning the favor.”

“I don’t scare people,” Dean says.

“Uh, I hate to break it to you man, but all we do with our lives is scare people,” Chase points out.

“Okay, well then you’re dicks too.”

“Apparently not,” Sam says.

“I don’t know. Harley can be a dick sometimes,” Chase teases, elbowing her friend.

“This is true,” Harley agrees.

“Whatever,” Dean says with an eye roll. “How do we stop it?”

“We gank the ghost that started all this. We do that, the disease should clear up.”

“I’ve always hated the word should,” Chase sighs.

“Are we thinking Frank’s wife?”

“We never did learn why she killed herself.”

“Hey,” Sam says frowning, “What’re you doing out here waiting anyway?”

“Our room’s on the fourth floor,” Dean says hesitantly.

Chase fights another laugh. Sam sighs.

“It’s high,” Dean adds.

“I'll see if I can move us down to the first.” Sam says.

“Thanks.”

“Sure.”

***

Sam, Chase, and Harley entered the boys’ room to see a broken clock on the floor and Dean on the couch, a beer in hand.

“Uh, is everything okay?” Sam asks.

“Yeah, just peachy.”

“What did it do to you?” Chase asks, gesturing to the clock.

“Made me angry.”

Raising her eyebrows, Chase nods slowly. “Uh huh, okay.”

“Find anything?”

“Yeah, Jessie O'Brien's body was cremated, so I'm pretty sure she is not our ghost,” Sam says.

“Quit picking at that. How are you feeling?” Harley asks.

“Awesome. It’s nice to have my head on the chopping block. I almost forgot what it feels like.”

“Yeah,” Harley sighs.

“It’s freaking delightful.”

“We’ll keep looking,” Chase promises.

Dean starts coughing violently.

“You okay? Hey!” Sam asks, worried, “Dean.”

He starts to choke and rushes to the sink gagging until he spits a wood chip out.

“We've been completely ignoring the biggest clue we have, you.” Sam says.

“I don’t want to be a clue,” Dean complains.

“The abrasions, this disease, it’s trying to tell us something,” Sam points out.

“Tell us what?” Dean demands. “Wood chips?”

“Exactly.”

***

The group arrives at a nearby lumber mill. Exiting their cars, they look around at each other in hesitance. The mill is large, broken down, with ‘keep out’ signs on the front.

Dean looks at the mill, and shakes his head, “I'm not going in there.”

“You’re going in, Dean,” Sam says.

“C’mon scaredy cat, you got this. Bravery isn’t not being scared, it’s running towards what scares you,” Harley says, encouraging him.

Dean takes a large gulp of whiskey from a flask, “Let's do this. It is a little spooky, isn't it?”

“Yes Dean, it’s very spooky,” Chase sighs as Sam hands Dean his gun.

“Oh, I'm not carrying that. It could go off. I'll man the flashlight,” Dean says refusing the gun causing Harley to roll her eyes. He grabs the flashlight tightly with an anxious smile on his face.

“You do that,” Sam says.

***

The EMF meter goes off in Sam’s pocket, causing them all to jump and look towards him in surprise.

“EMF's not gonna work with me around, is it?” Dean asks.

“You don’t say,” Chase says sarcastically. “Come on,” Sam replies before crouching down in front of what looks like a dirty tissue, “Wait,” He pulls a golden wedding band out from underneath it.

Dean crouches down with the flashlight so Sam could read the engraving on it.

“‘To Frank, Love, Jessie’ Frank O’Brien’s ring,” Sam says, getting up.

“So Frank was definitely here.” Harley says.

“But what the hell was he doing here?” Dean asks.

Chase shrugs. “Who knows. Let’s just find this ghost.”

They continue on into another room, dust lining everything, from the small tables in the corner to the lockers lining the far wall. Cobwebs hang in every corner, causing Chase to stand in the very middle of the room while Sam and Dean go over to the lockers.

Sam opens a locker slowly, just for a cat to jump out. Dean, startled, shrieks loudly, jumping about wildly, flailing his arms. This action causes Chase to also scream out in surprise. She immediately notices the cat, however, and calms herself down, turning a glare to her older brother.

“That was scary,” Dean says matter-of-factly. Sam rolls his eyes and starts to walk away. “Wait!”

Ignoring the three others for a second, Chase runs after the cat, managing to catch it. She cradles it and walks back over to the group. Harley raises an eyebrow at her.

‘What?’ Chase mouths.

Harley shrugs, and reaches a hand out to stroke the cat’s head, then sneezes. Dean jumps slightly, whirling around to cast a cautious glance at Harley, then notices the cat in Chase’s arms. He backs away a step. Once Dean turns around Harley sneaks up behind him and digs her fingers into his sides causing Dean to scream and shoot her a nasty glare while Chase and Harley laugh their asses off.

Sam reaches down and picks a card off the table, only to pass it to Dean, saying, “Luther Garland.”

Dean, now backed away to the other table, points to a drawing. “Hey, this is uh. This is Frank’s wife.”

Chase lets out a low whistle. “The plot thickens.”

“Yeah, but into what?” Sam asks.

Dean suddenly bolts past the three, out of the mill. Chase starts to run after him. “Dean!”

Harley whirls around and notices a ghost behind Sam. “Sam, get down!”

Sam turns and ducks quickly as Harley shoots the ghost, causing it to vanish.

Sam turns to Harley and nods a thanks as they both head out to the Impala. Chase is gently placing the brown cat in the back of the Lincoln. Dean is drinking a copious amount of alcohol.

“Guess we got the right place,” Sam states.

***

“Dean, it’s just a small cat. You’re not even allergic!” Chase reprimands, holding the cat against her chest. It meows indignantly at Dean, who frowns at it.

“I might develop an allergy though!”

“Dean, I’m allergic, and even I know it’s fine to be around the cat, much less be around Chase just because she’s held one recently.”

Chase points at Harley, a look on her face screaming, ‘Exactly!’

Dean shakes his head, taking a stubbornly defiant step back. Sam sighs, rubbing his forehead, and exasperated look on his face.

“Guys, you’ve both held the cat. And since Dean,” Sam gives an annoyed look to Dean upon saying his name - Dean looks at him in indignation and scoffs, “And that means you guys aren’t much help right now. Just go to the motel and figure out a shelter nearby to get rid of it, take a shower, and join us later. Okay?”

Chase rolls her eyes, scoffing, in sync with Dean. They both sigh and nod. Harley laughs at the two.

“Yeah, Sam, that works,” Harley says.

Chase grumbles but agrees nonetheless.

Back in the motel room, Harley and Chase sit on the floor, the cat between them, trying to come up with ways to get the cat to a safe place.

“We could give him to Cas?” Harley suggests.

“I mean, I guess.” Chase frowns, jerking her hand away from the cat’s claws. His now clean fur bristles as he - Chase had drawn the short straw and washed him, and checked - turned away from her, wandering straight to Harley, whom he seemed to favor despite her allergies. “Cas is a no show recently, though, so I don’t really think he’d come down for this.”

“Yeah, but there aren’t any shelters nearby. So what else can we do?”

“Nothing else, I guess. I definitely don’t want to just put him back in that mill. Do you think he’d answer if you or I prayed to him?”

“I think it’s worth a shot.”

“Okay, do you want me to or do you want the honors?” Chase pauses. “We could say we found a seal?”

“Or we could just say it’s of dire importance, I mean we don’t have to lie to the guy. Just not tell him everything.”

Chase looks down at the cat, who stares at her from between Harley’s crossed legs. She sighs dramatically and leans back against the bed. “Fine, I’ll do it. But only for you,” Chase says, pointing at the cat. She then frowns. “You-you- cat. We need to name him first. Then I’ll do it.”

“Catiel.”

Chase gives Harley a side look. “How long have you been sitting on that one?”

“Since I thought about looping Cas in.”

“Of course. You wouldn’t be Harley if you didn’t make some form of pun or bad joke. Not that it’s bad. The cat fits the name. Doesn’t like me much, that is.” Chase scoffs to herself, before sighing. “I guess I’ll pray now.” Chase ignores Harley, who begins to just laugh about the name “Catiel”, while playing with the cat himself. She sighs again.

“Oh, uh, Cas. Hi, me. Chase Winchester. Look, Harley and I need you down here for something…” No response. Chase glances around the room, and frowns. “Please, Cas it’s really important to me and we kinda need your help. It’s an emergency.”

“What’s wrong?” A male voice suddenly asks. The girls jump and turn to Castiel, who looks at them with narrowed eyes.

Catiel, who’d somehow immediately jumped to be by Castiel’s side, rubbing along his legs, somehow unnoticed by Cas, meows up at him. Castiel slowly looks down, only to freeze, look up at the girls, then back down.

“What is this?”

“A cat. His name is Catiel,” Harley says proudly.

Castiel sighs. “Well, yes I know it is a cat but- Wait. You have named him Catiel? Like…”

“Like after you, yeah,” Harley says, with a tone of ‘duh’ in her voice.

“Why am I here?” Castiel asks, his eyes going to Chase. She blinks at the sudden attention and stutters when trying to answer.

“We need help with Catiel. He needs to be brought to a shelter, but there aren’t any near here. And you can just poof everywhere.”

Cas looks as though he wants to comment on several parts of that statement, but resigns himself to ignoring both the cat’s name and the ‘poofing’ comment once more. “I am a heavenly soldier of the Lord and you think I’m available to you as your errand boy?” he asks in a commanding tone.

Chase raises a brow at this. “Wow, but when you needed something done, you had no problem coming to us and asking us to help you. And Harley even named the poor thing after you, how horrible of you.”

Cas’ eyes narrow further. “You said it was an emergency.”

“This is an emergency!”

“I thought you might’ve been hurt. Or there was a seal. Or something actually worth my time.”

“Castiel, take this cat to a shelter or else,” Chase demands. She looks at Cas, all five feet four inches, sitting criss-crossed on the floor, a stuffed animal discarded to her right, glaring up at an angel, demandingly. He blinks.

“Fine.” His voice is gruff and he seems hesitant, but doesn’t argue any further.

“Thanks, Cas,” Harley says grinning, “Now we can get to the list.” “List?”

Chase smiles. “Yes. List. Now, Catiel has to go to a no-kill shelter. Can not be vegan run. Preferably not an SPCA organization, since those usually pool money for themselves. Maybe one with no adoption fees, maybe vaccinations included. Spaying is probably important. Harley, am I missing anything?”

“Purina food. Only the best for our little Catiel,” Harley adds.

Castiel gives Harley a blank stare. “Of course. Is there anything else?”

“Yeah.”

Cas looks to Chase again, the look on his face quickly becoming devoid of any patience. “What?”

“You have to pick him up,” Chase smiles.

“What?”

“You have to pick him up to poof him around, Cas,” Harley repeats.

“Please, Castiel,” Chase says, bringing out the puppy eyes, a trait she shares with her younger brother, Sam. “This is really important to me. I’d keep Catiel if I could, so would Harley. We just want to make sure he stays safe.”

Castiel’s face softens reluctantly as he groans, his head tilting back as his eyes flick to the ceiling for a moment, as though praying. “Alright. Alright. Catiel will be fine,” Cas says, hesitating at the name, but seeming to warm up to the idea, if only slightly. He bends over to pick up Catiel, and lifts him awkwardly into the air, holding him away from his body, as though Catiel could cause some kind of damage.

“I mean, that isn’t how you hold a cat, but, it’s better than nothing,” Chase sighs.

“I’ll miss you, Catiel.” Harley says oh so dramatically.

***

Sam calls Chase and she puts him on speakerphone. “Dean’s gone,” Sam says through the speaker.

“What?” Chase and Harley question at the same time.

“Dean’s gone. He ran off and I can’t find him.”

“We’ll find him, Sammy, don’t worry,” Chase says, reassuring her brother.

“Did he say anything before he left?” Harley asked.

“He thinks we’re crazy, that he’s done with hunting.” Sam says.

“Dean Winchester done with hunting? Never thought I’d hear that in my lifetime.” Harley says, “If he’s done hunting he’s probably heading back to the motel or to a bar.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely not like him,” Chase adds. “Sammy, what made him leave? Did he say anything before he left?”

“Just that he was done with hunting. I think he was having a hallucination, but whatever it is, it scared the hell out of him.”

***

Harley was waiting in the boys’ room for Dean to come back while Chase and Sam are out looking for him. Dean enters the room out of breath and terrified.

“Dean! You can’t just disappear like that. Do you have any idea how worried we were? You’re not exactly in the best state of mind right now,” Harley goes off.

“I know, I know,” Dean says. “I just. I’m done with all of this.”

Once she calms down she texts Sam and Chase letting them know Dean was back at the motel.

“You might be done for now, but will you be when we cure you? Because honestly I doubt you will.”

“I don’t know, okay?” Dean exclaims. “How are you so sure you’ll cure me, huh? Cause it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen!”

“Because I’m not letting you die of some stupid ghost sickness and neither are Chase and Sam. We care too much about you and we will find a way. We have to.”

Dean sighs, sitting himself down on the bed. “Okay.”

“Well that was easier than usual. This ghost sickness must really be getting to ya,” Harley jokes nudging Dean in the side.

Dean laughs slightly, but jumps at the sudden opening of the door. Harley and Dean turn to see Sam and Chase looking at them.

“What the Hell, Dean?” Chase demands, stomping over to him. He flinches slightly, and she softens her movements, but not her expression. “We looked everywhere for you! I was worried sick, Dean.”

“I’m sorry.”

“How did you get here?” Sam asks, worry lacing his tone.

“I ran,” Dean shrugs. “So, what do we do now? I’ve got less than four hours on the clock. I’m gonna die, Sammy.”

“No, Dean. We aren’t going to let that happen.”

“Back?” Dean asks, suddenly looking confused. The three others share a glance.

“Dean, are you okay?” Chase asks, stepping closer.

“No! Stay away from me!” Chase puts her hands up and takes a large step back.

“Dean, it’s okay.”

Harley, still next to Dean on the bed, puts a hand on his shoulder. Dean flinches away and lets out a yell, scrambling back.

“You get out of her! You get out of all of them!”

“Dean, what’s going on, what’re you talking about?” Chase asks, rushing back over to him. Sam and Harley do the same.

Sam shakes Dean by the shoulders, trying to capture his attention. “Dean! Hey, hey, hey. Dean. Dean, c’mon, Dean!”

Dean comes to, it seems, as he takes a few shuddering deep breaths, looking at the three in panic. Harley, Sam, and Chase all exchange worried glances before their attention lands on Dean again.

***

Sam and Chase lean against the Impala as Bobby’s car drives up.

“Howdy, Sam, Chase.” Bobby says as he exits his vehicle.

“Hey, Bobby. Thanks for coming so quick.” Sam says.

“Where's Dean and Harley?”

“Harley’s babysitting Dean,” Chase says.

“So, have his hallucinations started yet then?”

Chase nods. “Few hours ago.”

“How we doing on time?” Bobby asks.

Sam sighs. “We saw the coroner about eight AM, Monday morning, so, uh.”

“Just under two hours,” Chase sighs. “What about you? Find anything?”

“This, uh, encyclopedia of spirits dates back to the Edo period.” Bobby hands Sam a text in Japanese.

“You can read Japanese?” Sam asks, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Kimi ga umareru zutto mae kara dayo,” Bobby answers.

“Guess so, show off,” Sam mutters.

“Samu, kuso. Kono atari de osharena hon o manade iru no wa anata dakede wa arimasen.”

Sam turns to Chase in shock. “Bobby, I can understand. You?”

Chase scoffs, rolling her eyes. “I know five languages Sam. Grow up. Is it really that surprising?”

Sam shrugs. “A little, yeah.”

“Anyway,” Bobby interrupts, “this book lists a kind of ghost that could be our guy. It, uh, infects people with fear. It’s called the Buru Buru.”

“Well, does this say how to kill it?” Sam asks.

“Same as usual, burn the remains.”

“So, uh, is there a plan B?” Chase asks, her eyes scanning the text.

“Well, the Buru Buru is a creature of fear. Hell, it is fear. So, the lore says you can kill it with fear.”

“We’re scaring a ghost to death?” Chase asks, her eyebrows raising in question.

“Pretty much.”

“How the hell are we gonna do that?” Sam asks.

***

Dean and Harley are sitting on the bed, watching Gumby on TV. Pokey is lassoed and dragged by a car while Dean scratches his arm.

“Oh, this isn't helping,” Dean quickly switches it off.

“Stop it,” Harley says, referring to his arm.

“Stop what?”

“Scratching.” Harley says as her phone rings, “It’s Sam.” She answers the phone, “Hey, what’s up?”

“We got a plan,” Sam says.

“What is it?”

“Just a really good plan.”

“Sam.”

“We're going to scare the ghost to death.”

“Should I come with y’all?”

“No, someone needs to watch Dean.”

“Got it,” Harley says hanging up.

“What’s going on?” Dean asks.

“They got a plan.”

“What is it?”

“Just a good plan.”

“Are you going with them?”

“No.”

“Good. I don’t want to be alone.”

“You’re never alone as long as I’m around….Besides you’ve got Sam and Chase. You don’t even really need me.”

“I’ll always need you, sweetheart.” Dean almost whispers.

“I’ll always need you too.” She says resting her head on his shoulder.

***

Chase, Sam, and Bobby arrived at the lumber mill.

“This is a terrible plan,” Bobby mentions.

“Well it’s the only plan we got,” Chase says.

“I know I said, scare the ghost to death but this?” Bobby says, cocking a shotgun.

“Hey, you got a better idea, I'm listening,” Sam says before he and Chase enter the mill.

“Any luck?” Bobby asks over the walkie talkie.

“I don't know what's wrong, Bobby. Last time he came right at us. It's almost like he's, uh...like he's scared.”

Chase continues forward down the hall, met with no ghosts, resistance, or danger of any kind. She turns back to Sam, confused. “Where the hell is he?”

“So now what?” Bobby’s voice asks.

“I guess we got to make him angry.” Sam says. He walks towards a table covered with Luther’s drawings, and begins to rip them up. The machinery of the mill starts up. “Come on, Luther! Where the hell are you? What are you waiting for?”

“Sam!” Chase shouts, pointing behind Sam. “He’s there!”

***

Dean and Harley hear a bang come from the motel room door. A dog barks and the door comes off its hinges revealing the Sheriff with a gun in hand.

“Sheriff?” Dean says unsure of what’s happening.

“What ‘cha doing?” Harley asks, weary of getting shot.

“Why are you looking into Luther Garland's death?” The Sheriff asks.

Harley and Dean notice the blood now visible on his forearm.

“Hey, hey, you're - you're sick. You're sick. You're sick, all right? Just -- just like me, okay? You got to relax.” Dean says.

The Sheriff ignores Dean and punches him in the face. Harley is quick to get between the two men.

“Frank O'Brien was my friend. So he made a mistake. So I didn't bust him. So what? And you're gonna bring me down over that?! No, sir.” The Sheriff attempts to point the gun at Dean, but Harley swats it out of his hand.

A fight breaks out between the Sheriff and Harley while Dean watches too afraid to help. The Sheriff ends the fight, staring into the distance petrified. He starts hyperventilating and slowly backs away.

“Get away from me!” The Sheriff shouts before collapsing.

“Well that was eventful. You know you could have helped Dean.” Harley says tuning around to face the hunter in question. He’s scratching his arm again. “Will you quit it. You’re only gonna make your arm worse.”

A few minutes pass and the damn dog starts barking again. Dean leans down to pick up nothing. That was Harley’s first clue something was wrong. The second was when Dean jumped slightly.

“You – you are not real!” Dean shouts at the air to his right. He clutches his chest in fear. “You are not real.”

“Dean? You okay?” Harley asks, but it falls on deaf ears.

“Why me? Why'd I get infected?” He asks.

Harley walks over to him and shakes him slightly trying to break his trance.

“Whu...?” Dean asks, scooting away from whatever he saw until he was on the floor freaking out.

Harley didn’t know what to do so she took a page out of her previous dog’s book and layed on Dean’s chest attempting to slow down his heart rate. Eventually he’s pulled out of his trance.

“Why are you on my chest?” Dean asks, having no clue what’s going on.

“My dog used to lay on people’s chests to get their heart rates to slow down. I hoped the same principle would apply to humans.”

***

Chase shoots at Luther, but misses, her shots not as precise out of fear of shooting Sam, who is in a close range fight with the ghost.

“Chase!” Sam shouts, “Grab the chains!”

Chase remembers the chains and sees them on the ground near Sam, having been dropped when Chase grabbed her gun. She’d been in charge of keeping track of them.

Chase rushes over, grabbing the spelled chains off the ground. She gets Sam away from the ghost and the two take off, Luther in hot pursuit of them.

Once outside, close enough to Baby for her comfort, she turns suddenly, wrapping the chains around Luther’s neck. Luther struggles, but is unable to do anything at that moment about them. Chase, still holding onto them, gets into the Impala quickly.

“Step on it, Bobby!” Sam shouts.

Bobby slams on the gas pedal and the three watch as Luther is dragged behind the car by the chains. Luther gradually begins to disappear, until he is completely gone. Bobby slows down, pulling off to the side of the road so that Chase can pull in the chain, each of them allowing their breathing to go back to normal.

***

“So you guys road-hauled a ghost with a chain?” Dean asks skeptically.

“Iron chain,” Sam says.

“Probably helped that it was etched with spellwork,” Chase adds.

“Probably,” Harley laughs.

Chase cracks a smile. “Probably.”

“Hmm, that’s a new one,” Dean hums.

“It’s what he was most afraid of,” Sam says. “Pretty brutal, though.”

“On the upside, I’m still alive,” Dean laughs, “So, uh, go team!”

“Yeah. How are you feeling?” Chase asks.

“Fine.”

“You sure, Dean? 'Cause this line of work can get awful scary,” Bobby says.

“I'm fine. You want to go hunting? I'll hunt. I'll kill anything.”

“Awwww, he's adorable. I got to get out of here. You guys drive safe,” Bobby says getting in his car.

“You too, Bobby. Hey, thanks,” Sam says as Bobby drives off, “So uh...so, what did you see? Near the end, I mean.”

“Oh, besides a cop beating Harley’s ass?” Dean says.

“I was winning,” Harley says, swatting Dean on the arm.

“Seriously, Dean, what did you see?” Chase asks.

“Howler monkeys. Whole roomful of them. Those things creep the hell out of me.” Dean answers.

“Right.”

“No, just the usual stuff. Nothing I can’t handle.”

#supernatural #Supernatural season four #castiel #dean #winchester

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angelsandacceptance · 3 years

Text

Monster Movie

The Winchesters and Harley were on the road again this time headed to Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The moon is a simple crescent in the sky as Chase follows Dean and Sam closely down the highway. Harley shuffles the music playing through the old Lincoln speakers next to her.

“What’s with the weird music? Where’s the good stuff?” Harley eventually shuts the radio off, “I’m just glad it’s a simple hack ‘n slash.”

“Yeah. Clean signs it’s a vamp, plus a witness who swears on his life. If it’s anything else, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what.”

“Watch it, you’ll jinx it.”

“Sorry, knock on wood,” Chase says, knocking on the (probably fake) wooden panel lining the cup holder.

“I don’t think that’s wood, but okay. I guess it probably works about as much real wood though. I just can’t wait to get to the motel. It’s a sleep night.”

Chase nods, a yawn escaping her lips at the idea of sleep. “Fair.”

***

Harley and Chase step out of the Lincoln and into the busy street. A sign reads “Oktoberfest 2008”, which explains the live band and bar maid costumes. A girl walks by and Chase attempts at refraining from checking her out as she walks away. Chase fails at refraining and tosses a look over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her lips.

Harley has a smile on her face too, eyebrows raised at Chase. Chase holds her hands up defensively and shrugs.

“We still have to see the new Raiders movie,” Dean says once the girls find them in the crowd.

“Saw it,” Sam says.

“What?” Dean asks incredulously. “Without me?”

“You were in Hell, Dean,” Chase reminds him.

“That’s no excuse,” Dean says, holding a finger out pointedly. Chase raises a brow at him. Dean looks over and smiles, seeing a pretzel stand. He immediately forgets about his disappointment and walks over, exclaiming, “Big pretzel!”

Sam, Chase, and Harley all smile at each other, shaking their heads at Dean’s occasional show of childishness. Dean grabs four pretzels and walks back over to the group. Handing them out, they each take a bite of their pretzel in synch.

A woman walks bye, winking at Dean. “Guten tag.”

Dean smiles slightly. “Guten tag yourself,” He says, his mouth full.

Chase taps him on the chest. She points at a man in a sheriff costume. “I think that’s our man.”

The group walks over to him. Harley speaks first.

“Sheriff Dietrich.”

The man turns and eyes them. “You’re the group from the feds?”

“Agents Angus, McKinnon, Young and Johnson,” Dean confirms, pointing to each of the group in turn. They each flash their badges.

“We called ahead about your, uh, problem,” Sam says delicately.

“Right, um,” the sheriff starts, shifting uncomfortably. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we talk about this away from the crowd?”

Chase nods, “That sounds perfectly reasonable.”

In the morgue, which all four young hunters have been in multiple times, they all shiver slightly from the cold. A body is laying on the table, a sheet covering it.

Dietrich pulls back the sheet, exposing a woman, who looks young. Chase and Harley walk over, immediately looking for injuries.

“Marissa Wright, 26. Just up from Lockhard for the ‘fest. Last thing this town needs at peak tourist season,” The sheriff says.

Chase flashes him a disgusted look, before turning to Harley. ‘What the Hell?’ she mouths.

“Last thing Marissa Wright needed.” He catches Chase’s eye, as she points to Marissa’s neck, a perplexed look on her face. He goes over to check it out and sees the two puncture-like holes in her neck. “What the Hell?”

Dietrich shrugs. “Yeah, you got me. I mean this killer’s some grade-A wack job. I mean, some Satan worshipping, Anne Rice-reading, gothic, psycho, vampire wannabe.”

“I like Anne Rice,” Chase mutters with a frown.

Dean casts her a look. “In the report, you mentioned a witness.”

“Right, I wish I didn’t, but he insisted. That would be Ed Brewer, not what you could call a very reliable source.”

The four look at each other, hesitation etched onto their faces.

***

“I remember you,” a woman serving at the bar says to Dean. Dean smiles crookedly.

Chase and Harley roll their eyes, fake gagging as Dean responds.

“And I remember you,” Dean eyes the woman. “Jamie. I never forget a pretty… everything.”

“We’re looking for an Ed Brewer,” Harley interrupts, looking a little uncomfortable and unhappy. Chase smiles at her reaction.

The woman frowns. “What do you want with Ed?”

“Well, you see, we’re federal agents,” Dean says, flashing his badge. “Mr. Brewer was witness to a serious crime. We just need to-”

“Wait a minute,” The woman says, interrupting. Chase frowns deeply, irritated by her flirtations. “You’re a fed? You don’t come on like a fed.”

Dean leans towards her. “I’m a maverick, ma’am.”

Chase resists the urge to laugh, but the urge is there and it is strong.

“A rebel with a badge. One thing I don’t play by: the rules.”

Sam rolls his eyes. “Okay, maverick. Um, so where can we find Mr. Brewer?”

***

Chase and Harley sit across from Ed Brewer, the boys at the end of the table.

“I told the cops everything I saw. Nobody believed me. Why should you be any different?”

“Believe me, Mr. Brewer,” Harley says gently. “We’re different.”

“We specialize in the weirder cases for a reason,” Chase adds.

“I spoke the God’s honest truth,” Brewer says in a defeated tone, “and now I’m the town joke.”

“Marissa Wright’s death is no joke to us,” Sam says, his tone soft. “We want to hear everything, no matter how strange it may seem.”

“We have a lot of experience with strange,” Dean adds.

Brewer takes a sip of beer, sighing loudly. “It was just after midnight. I just left here, and like I do every night, I cut through the park on my way home. At first, I thought it was just a couple kissing. But, then I thought she was just, I don’t know. Struggling too much. And this man, he was just, biting her neck.”

“Can you describe her assailant for us?” Sam asks.

“Oh, he was a vampire.”

“Okay, right. And by that, you mean?” Dean asks.

“You know, a vampire.”

“Uh huh.”

“Yeah.”

“What did he look like?” Harley asks.

“He looked like a vampire. You know, with the fangs and the slicked back hair and the fancy cape and the little medallion thingy on the ribbon.”

“Like Dracula?” Chase asks, a little perplexed.

“Yes, like Dracula. Down to the accent.”

Chase hums, side-eyeing Harley.

“The accent?” Harley asks.

“What did he say?” Sam asks.

“Something like,” Brewer then mimes the action of covering his face with a cape. “Stay away, mortal! This night is mine!”

He brings his hands down and looks at the four hunters hopefully. “You do believe me, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Harley says, reassuring him and breaking the awkward silence.

***

Dean heads to the bar to get a beer and probably flirt with the bar wench. The rest of the group not far behind. Sam picks up a napkin with a lipstick print on it.

“So, what do you think? Goth, psycho, vampire wannabe, right?” Dean asks.

“Please don’t bring the alt scene into this,” Harley sighs, “There’s a difference between goth and gothic literature.”

Dean looks at Harley slightly confused.

“I took gothic lit my senior year. Did you know the term goth originally meant barbaric?” Harley explains.

Chase laughs at her friend's weirdness.

“Either way, definitely not our kind of case.”

“Agreed. But who cares?” Dean says.

“Me, I was excited about this case,” Harley groans.

They all walked to the nearest table and sat down.

“Rooms are paid for, and it's Oktoberfest. Come on,guys. Beer and bar wenches,” Dean says.

“Pretty sure women today don't react well to the whole ‘wench’ thing, Dean.” Sam says.

“Depends on the woman. If they like the Renaissance festival chances are they won’t mind.” Harley says.

“Hey, bar wench! Where’s the beer?” Dean shouts at Jamie.

“Coming up, good sir,” she responds, playing along.

“Dude, Oktoberfest,” Dean says to Sam, as though that was the explanation for everything.

“There you go,” Jamie says, setting a beer down in front of Dean. She turns to Sam. “What can I get you?”

“Oh, he doesn’t drink,” Dean interjects. “He’s a Christian scientist. Doesn’t even take aspirin. He’s a real drag on stakeouts.”

“You’re funny,” Jamie laughs.

“I’m a lot more than that. I’d love to get the chance to show you the rest, when do you get off?”

“Ha ha,” Jamie says, turning. “Like I said, funny.”

Chase laughs at the exchange, elbowing Harley. “He totally just got rejected.”

Dean ignores the two and turns to Sam. “It is time to right some wrongs.”

“Come again?” Sam asks, confused. Even the girls furrow their brows at that one.

“Look at me. I mean, I came back from the furnace without any of my old scars, right? No bullet wounds, knife cuts, none of the off-angled fingers from all the breaks. I mean, my hide is as smooth as a baby's bottom. Which leads me to conclude, sadly... that my virginity is intact.”

Chase snorts. “Yeah, I do not think that is how that works.”

“I have been rehymenated,” Dean says.

“Re-” Sam cuts himself off with a laugh. “Please, Dean. Maybe angels can pull you out of hell, but no one could do that.”

Harley chokes on her drink, laughing.

“Brother, I have been rehymenated, and the dude will not abide.”

Chase and Harley exchange looks.

“I’m taking that as my cue to leave,” Chase says, standing, downing her whiskey, and grabbing her jacket. “You coming, Harley?”

Harley nods, finishing her water, casting one more look to Dean before following.

“Alright, dude. Well, you go do whatever you gotta do, and I’m going to go back to the room to get some sleep.”

Sam follows after Chase and Harley, shaking his head at his older brother. They diverge when Sam goes to his and Dean’s room, and the two girls enter theirs.

Quickly getting ready for sleep, they each fall into their bed, turning the lights out.

“G’night, Harley.”

“Night.”

***

The group was interviewing a girl, Anna-Marie. Her boyfriend was brutally murdered last night. She slurps loudly from a large cup.

“And then it just -- it just tore Rick into little pieces.” Anna-Marie said.

“Ma'am, we understand how hard this is, but can you describe the creature?” Dean asks.

“Oh. It was a werewolf.”

“A werewolf? Sam asks.

“Mhm.”

“You sure?”

“Oh, yeah. With the furry face, and the black nose, and the claws and… and the the torn up pants and shirt. Like from the old movies.”

“Wait, so Wolf Man killed your boyfriend?’ Harley asks.

“Yeah.”

“Well, okay... Thank you for your time.” Chase says.

They all leave and start heading towards the morgue.

***

Harley opened the metal door and pulled the body out unzipping the bag. The Winchesters recoil at the smell.

“Damn!” Dean says.

“All right. Whatever did this wasn't a psycho wannabe,” Sam says, poking at the shredded body with a pencil.

“Look at those bite marks. Right down to the bone... and deeper,” Chase adds.

“Strong enough to tear a healthy man apart limb from limb. Could be a werewolf,” Dean concludes.

“No, look, his heart’s still intact,” Harley said.

“What the hell?” Dean asks no one in particular.

The sheriff enters the morgue holding an envelope, “Well, I was hoping you boys could tell me. I just got a rush job back from the lab on those fibres we found on the body,” He pulls a bag of fur, “Canine. Wolf hairs.”

“I’m getting a headache,” Dean complains.

***

“I don't know, guys. Looks like we've stumbled onto a midnight showing of Dracula meets Wolf Man. Is that it?” Dean asks.

“I don't know. I mean, Wolf Man seems real enough. Makes Dracula seem a little less impossible, I guess.” Sam says.

“Yeah, but werewolves don't grow wolf hair. That's just a myth.”

“Yeah,” Harley sighs, “To think we thought this would be a simple case.”

Jamie brings a round of beer to the table, “Looks like you guys are staying a while. I heard about Rick Deacon.”

“Yeah, this case just got weird enough for our department,” Dean says.

“Well, beers are on me. And, just so you know, I get off at midnight tonight.”

Harley pushes her beer away.

“Oh, it's not another, uh, girls' night out?”

“Doesn't have to be.”

“Okay, then. I'll see you tonight.”

“Okay, then,” Jamie says before leaving.

“Congrats Dean. You get to tear your nonexistent hymen.” Harley says.

Chase laughs and Sam smiles at the comment. Dean rolls his eyes.

“Hey, you think this Dracula could turn into a bat? That would be cool.”

***

They arrived at the Canonsburg Museum of American History. There was a sarcophagus that was exhausting smoke next to where the body was found.

“A vampire, a werewolf, and now a mummy,” Harley sighs, “What is with this case?”

Sam was examining the sarcophagus. He pulled something off, “This sarcophagus isn't ancient,” he says, looking at the object at hand. “It’s from a prop house in Philly.”

“So not an undead ghost or poltergeist?” Chase asks. “If it’s not ancient, there shouldn’t be any mummy inside.”

“Where’s all this smoke coming from?” Harley asks rooting around the sarcophagus until she hits something and pulls it out. It’s a small bucket of dry ice.

“Is he making his own special effects?” Chase asks.

“Yeah, a mummy with a good sense of showmanship,” Dean says.

“Better than a boring one,” Harley adds.

“This is stupid,” Sam says.

“The whole case is.”

Dean checks his watch, “Oh, damn it. Jamie. I'm late. You're good here with the mummy and the... crazy?”

“Yeah,” Sam says.

“Yeah,” Dean says before running off and leaving everyone behind.

***

Dean and Jamie had an unfortunate run-in with Dracula and are holed up in the bar. There’s a white towel on the table.

“Hey. You guys all right?” Sam asks when he gets there with Chase and Harley.

“Yeah, I think so. And I think I know what's going on,” Dean says.

“Thank God! I can’t stand this case. I just wanna kill someone already!” Harley whines.

Jamie looks at her in shock and horror.

“Part of it, at least,” Dean says, unfolding the towel, a torn off ear inside it.

“The ear part?” Chase asks.

“Ripped it off of Dracula's head. Touch it.”

Sam does.

“I can only think of one thing that’s skin comes off that easy,” Harley comments.

“Shapeshifter,” Chase adds.

“Just like St. Louis and just like Milwaukee. Of course this one's all holding buckets of crazy. Oh, and, uh…” Dean pulls out a medallion from one of his pockets, “This, I uh, pulled it off during the fight. It’s from the same prop house.”

“So it’s a costume rental?” Chase asks. “What the Hell is this monster on?”

“All three monsters - the Dracula, Wolf Man, and the mummy. All the same critter, which means we need to catch this freak before he ‘Creature From the Black Lagoons’ somebody,” Dean says, nodding.

“So,” Jamie starts hesitantly. “You guys are like, Mulder and Scully or something and the X-files real?”

“No,” Harley says with an eye roll, losing patience for Jamie, “the X-files are fake. This is real.”

“Oh,” Jamie says quietly.

“Okay, so, the stagecraft, the costuming… it's like he's trying to re-enact his favorite monster movie moments, right down to the bloody murders,” Sam concludes.

“Wait a second. Who the hell is Mina?” Dean asks.

“Well if he’s Dracula she’s probably Mina Murray,” Harley says pointing at Jamie, “Which should mean you're Johnathan Harker.”

“Yeah. That’s what he called me.”

“Mina’s his crush, and Harker’s her fiance.”

Sam turns toward Jamie, “Seems like he's fixating on you, like he sees you as his bride.”

“Wow. Lucky me,” Jamie replies.

“But to fixate on you, my guess is that the shifter has to have seen you before or been around you.”

“Jamie, has anybody strange come to town, somebody that has taken a specific notice of you?” Chase asks.

“I don't know, It's Oktoberfest. I'm a bartender. There's lots of people. I... wait a second. There is Ed,” Jamie says.

“Ed Brewer, Ed?” Sam asks.

“Yeah. He moved here about a month ago. Lucy swears he has a crush on me. He comes in almost every night. But, you know, I don't think he's the type of guy –”

“Where does Ed live?” Dean asks.

“I don't know. But he works at the old movie theater. I think he's the projectionist there.”

“I’ll go,” Sam volunteers.

“Me too,” Chase says.

“And Dean and I’ll stay with Jamie,” Harley says.

***

Jamie was pacing in front of the booth Dean and Harley were sitting in. Harley was sitting by Dean with her head on his shoulder.

“You tired or something?” Dean asks.

“No. Just thirsty,” Harley replies.

“So, monsters are real?” Jamie asks.

“Some of them, yeah.” Dean says.

“And the shapeshifter, he can turn into different people.”

“Yeah. Yeah, except this one's turning into the great monsters of screenland, which is a new one for me.”

“You're not really FBI, are you?”

“What gave you that idea? The drinking on the job?” Harley laughs pulling away from Dean, “But no we aren’t feds.”

“So, this is what you do? You and your partners just tramp across the country on your own dime until you find some horrible nightmare to fight?”

“They aren’t all nightmares. Some don’t hurt anyone,” Harley sighs.

“She’s right. My best friend is part vampire.” Dean says, causing Harley to smile.

“Wow,” Jamie says.

“What?”

“That must suck. I mean, you're giving up your life for this terrible... I don't know, responsibility.”

“Last few years, I started thinking that way, and, uh, it started sort of weighing on me. Of course, that was before... A little while ago, I had this – let’s call it a near-death experience. Very near.”

Jamie sat on Dean’s other side.

“And, uh, when I came to... things were different. My life's been different. I realize that I help people. Not just help them, though. I save them. I guess it's -- it's awesome. It's kind of like a gift... like a mission. Kind of like a... a mission from God.”

“So, does that make you... some kind of monk or something? You know, celibate?”

“Jamie, honey, he couldn’t be celibate if he tried,” Harley jokes.

Jamie looks disappointed, like she forgot Harley was there. The lights turned on. Lucy, Jamie’s fellow barmaid, stood behind the counter a bottle of alcohol in hand.

“Holy crap. Oh, my god. Jamie. Guys, I'm -- I'm sorry. I thought you guys were going out,” Lucy says before noticing Harley, “Why is one of the other agents with you?”

“We’re watching her. The vampire that murdered Marissa Wright has taken a special interest in Jamie. The other two are chasing down a lead,” Harley explained.

“Stay for a drink?” Jamie offers, “It’s been a hell of a night.”

“Yeah. Stay for a drink,” Dean says.

“I hate to ask, but I’m stuck in a booth. Could you get me some water?” Harley asks.

***

The Phantom of the Opera is playing. Organ music surges as Sam and Chase walk into the theatre. Chase perks up at the song, recognizing it on the spot, and Sam rolls his eyes, catching her smile.

Chase and Sam check their clips, before aiming at Brewer right as the music changes to a happier note.

Brewer turns around in surprise, “Whoa!” Sam pushes him up against the organ, “You, FBI man -- What did I –”

“Shut up, okay, you know what you did,” Sam says pointing the gun in Brewer’s face.

“What?” Brewer asks, what looks like genuine fear on his face.

“I know what you are.”

“I'm not anything. I just like to play the Casio.”

“Sam, maybe he’s telling the truth?” Chase says, unsure, but still aiming her gun at him.

“Had time to grow the ear back, huh?” Sam says.

“What?!” Brewer says confused.

Sam pulls on Brewer’s ear. It didn’t come off, just causing Ed to scream.

“It's supposed to come off.”

“No, it's not!”

“Sam, I think we got the wrong guy,” Chase says, lowering her gun, but not putting it back in her waistband. She hesitates as Sam backs off, “Sorry.”

***

“Oh, that sounds awful. Jamie, honey, are you okay?” Lucy asks.

“Oh, I am fine. He didn't even touch me. Dean, he just flew right in and fought him off,” Jamie says practically gushing over Dean.

“Well, I didn't actually fly, but I'm sure it seemed that way at the time,” Dean says.

Lucy blots her lipstick on a napkin.

“Dean?” Harley says worry lacing her tone as she sways.

“It was really, really something,” Jamie says.

“We’ve been drugg-” Harley slurs before slumping in the booth, unconscious.

“So, Dean, are you like a black belt or what?” Lucy asks unaffected by any drugs. Jamie begins to lull to sleep, and Dean punches Lucy from across the table.

“Dean, what are you doing?” Jamie asks before passing out.

Dean pushes past Jamie and grabs a bottle, “It's you, isn't it?”

Lucy turned to Dean, her jaw out of place until she pops it back in. Dean kicks her.

“Oh, damn it! What did you put in our drinks?!” Dean yells, breaking the bottle on the edge of the table, “That's all right. I'll skin you myself.”

Dean passes out.

“And… scene.” Lucy says, getting up.

***

Harley woke up in a nice gothic looking room. The walls appeared to be cobblestone. A black gown with gold edging hung by the bedside. A note lay beside it on the bedside table.

To my dearest daughter Marya, I hope you see this gift as a token of my affection.

Harley thought it was odd. She didn’t remember any Maryas. She gets up wobbling a little and walks to the door trying to open it. It won’t budge. She tries kicking it down only to fall instead in her weak and dizzy state. Instead she goes through the desk and bedside tables looking for some sort of bobby pin, or even better a key.

***

Sam and Chase walk into the bar. Dean, Harley, and Jamie are gone, a couple chairs overturned. Sam immediately calls Dean, but he doesn’t pick up. He calls Harley, which is met with no answer.

“Harley, hey listen. Uh, Ed is not our guy. Um, I'm guessing you're at home with Jamie, so just give me a call, okay?” Sam says leaving a message.

Chase notices a puddle on the ground, then a broken bottle lying on the floor, “Sam, I don’t think they’re at Jamie’s.”

Sam nods seeing the mess. His eyes flitted to the table and noticed a napkin that was used to blot lipstick. He noticed Lucy doing the same thing the other day.

“Lucy,” Sam realizes, before he and Chase leave the bar to find Lucy’s house.

***

The double doors click and open unexpectedly from where there should be hinges. Dracula, or rather the shapeshifter, walks through, “Vy darling Marya. Vow do you vind your voom? Vell, I hope.” He says through a thick Transylvanian accent.

“I should have known it was you. Lucy Westerna, right? Clever. Very clever.”

“Vank you.”

“My friends will find you, and Dean and I will escape. Then we’re all going to save Jamie.”

“You veally vink so?”

“We’ve escaped and killed worse.”

“Like vhat?”

“Entire nests of my kin, other shifters, werewolves, wendigos.”

“Your kin?” He drops the fake accent.

“Yeah.” She smiles a sad smile.

“You’re a vampire?”

“Of sorts.”

“I see. Do your friends know?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t have to tell you shit.”

“Very well, will you at least wear the dress?”

Harley plays with the chain of her necklace as she thinks the request over, her sterling silver chain, when an idea pops into her head, “Turn around and I’ll put the dress on.”

The shifter turns. Harley takes off her necklace and quietly stalks behind him, quickly looping the necklace around his neck and pulling the excess tight. The strangled screams of the shifter and the smell of burning flesh fills the room.

When the shifter goes limp, passed out from pain, Harley removes her necklace from the body and puts it back on. The door was still unlocked and Harley went searching for either her missing gun or Dean and Jamie.

***

Sam and Chase enter the shifter’s dungeon with a loud crash, finding Dean barred onto a wooden slab wearing lederhosen.

“Oh, thank God. Just in the nick of time. That guy was about to Frankenstein me.” Dean says.

Sam releases him and hands him a gun, “Hey there, Hansel.”

“Shut up!” Dean says.

Harley comes barreling in through the door, “Hey guys! I heard a crash. Haven’t found Jamie yet, I just escaped. I can, however, lead you to a passed out Count Dracula. Or at least I think I can? He was passed out when I left. Also apparently in this story I’m his daughter, Marya, even though I don’t remember her being in the book. So yeah, anyway the body is this way,” Harley says, leaving and gesturing the rest to follow.

When they walk into the room the body is gone.

“Son of a bitch,” Dean says.

The group searches the dungeon, finding Jamie’s room. The shifter was in there offering Jamie pizza. She’s wearing a white satin dress. Sam attempts to cross the room towards Jamie. The shifter intercepts Sam and throws him through the fake rock wall.

“You will never be Van Helsing!” The shifter shouts.

Dean attacks the shifter. Chase jumps in seeing her brother struggling, but also gets flung through the wall.

“And you Countess Dolengen, how could you betray me?” The shifter asks.

Meanwhile Harley runs to Jamie and Dean drops his gun. Harley picks it up and waits for an opening to shoot.

“And you, Harker, now you die,” The shifter threatens.

“How 'bout now you shut the hell up?” Dean responds.

The shifter throws Dean to the floor, and is about to deliver the final blow when Harley shoots him twice in the back.

“Silver?” The shifter asks, stunned.

He turns to see Harley holding the gun.

“It was my own daughter who killed me. No, Mina, Marya, do not weep,” The shifter says stumbling into a chair, “Perhaps this is how the story should end.”

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