Standing Outside the Fire

49

Henry tried to move, but Abaddon held a hand up to stop him. "Josie. I know you're still in there. You must fight this."

"I'm afraid Josie's indisposed, pet. It's just you and me."

Dean stabbed Abaddon with the demon-killing knife. She screamed and fell to her knees, gold light coming from inside her body. "Ohh! Aah!"

The light flashing in Abaddon's body ceased. "Well, that is no way to treat a lady."

Sam, Dean, Francesca and Henry ran from the room.

Dean and Henry were in the front seats of the Impala. Sam jumped in the back behind Henry and Francesca sat behind Dean.

"Go, go, go, go, go, go!" Sam cried.

Dean backed out of the parking spot while Sam and Francesca were still closing their doors. As Dean drove away towards an oncoming car, the tires squealed and Francesca's weight toppled to one side.

"Be careful of baby!" Francesca snapped.

"Sorry," Dean apologized.

She lifted herself up as Dean drove along a narrow road and passed under a large bridge. Dean eventually pulled over to the side of the road and Henry got out of the passenger seat. He hurried a short distance away and vomited. Sam, Dean and Francesca got out of the car as well.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I will be," Henry answered, vomiting again. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "It's just all the adventures I enjoy are usually of the literary nature."

Dean frowned. "Yeah, well, now that you're done blowing chunks, you want to tell us who Betty Crocker was?"

"Abaddon. She's a demon."

"No kidding," Francesca shot back. "Where'd she come from?"

"She's from Hell. I'm from Normal, Illinois -- 1958."

Dean scoffed. "Yeah, right. Seriously? Now we got guys time-traveling through motel room closets? That's what we've come to?"

"If you could just take me to John, we could clear all this up, I'm sure."

"I told you that's not gonna happen."

"Why not?"

"Because he's dead!"

"No," Henry breathed, turning away.

"What's it to you?" Sam asked.

"Everything. I'm his father."

Henry sat at a table at a diner with Francesca while the brothers stood at the counter.

"Driver's license says he's Henry Winchester from Normal, Illinois," Sam said. "He knows Dad's birthday, the exact place where he was born. Dude, that's our grandfather."

Dean frowned. "I'm just saying before we break out the warm and toasties, let's not forget that, uh, H.G. Wells over there left Dad high and dry when he was a kid."

"But maybe he didn't run out on Dad -- I mean, not on purpose. Maybe he time-traveled here and, I don't know, got stuck."

"Maybe. But either way, Dad hated the son of a bitch."

"And Dad made up for that how? By being father of the year?"

A waitress set trays down in front of the brothers. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Dean said. "Look, Dad had his issues, okay, but he was always there for us. I freaking hate time travel, man."

Dean and Sam carried trays of food to the table where Henry and Francesca were seated. The boys sat across from them, Dean across from Francesca.