Gunpowder and Lead

Goodbye

"Before he went missing, did Cas say how many reapers?"  Bobby asked Dean through the the ham radio microphone.
"I-I don't know. He said a lot of things, I guess. I mean, does the number matter?" Dean retorted in a panic.
"Devil's in the details, Dean."
Ellen approached him, gave Dean a pat on the arm and gestured for him to let her speak with Bobby. "Bobby, it's Ellen." She spoke. "They way he was looking, the number of places Cas's eyes went, I'd say we're talking over a dozen reapers - probably more."
Bobby sighed, scared for the lives of his surrogate family. "I do not like the sound of that."
""Nobody likes the sound of that Bobby, but - wh-what does that sound like?" Dean inquired.
"It sounds like death, son." Bobby paused. "I think Satan's in town to work a ritual. I think he's planning to unleash death."
"You mean like, as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?"
"As in Death - the Horseman, the Pale Rider in the flesh." Bobby explained.
"'Unleash'? H-hasn't death been tromping all over the place?" Dean questioned, confused. "Hell, I've died several times myself."
"Not this guy. This is - this is the angel of death, big daddy reaper. They keep this guy chained in a box 600 feet under. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat." Then Bobby realized something important, "That's why the place is crawling with reapers. They're waiting on the big boss to show."
They was silence as both Dean and Bobby let the information sink in. Shit had already hit the fan, and now they're just going to get that much worse.
"You have any other good news?" Dean broke the silence.
"Well, in a manner of speaking, I've been researching Carthage since you've been gone, tryna suss out what the Devil might be doing there. ". Bobby answered. "What you just said drops the last piece of the puzzle in place. The Angel of Death must be brought in top this world at midnight, through a place of awful carnage. Now, back during the Civil War, there was a battle in Carthage - a battle so intense, the soldiers called it 'the Battle of Hellhole'."
"Where'd the massacre go down?"
"On the land of William Jasper's farm."

~*~*~*~

Lucifer glares at his captured angel. Castile, so strong in his faith, unwilling to break down and follow Luci. Cas refuses to fall from heaven, unlike s o many of his brothers and sisters once did.
The ring of holy oil circling Castiel continued to burn as Megan came down the stairs, approaching to inform her leader of new developments.
"I got the Winchesters pinned down - for now, at least. What should I do with them ?" She asked Lucifer with a proud smirk on her face.
"Leave them alone." He ordered.
Megan was struck by her matser's decision, and doubtfully asked, "I-I'm sorry, but are you sure? Shouldn't we-"
"Trust me, child." He interrupted, then began to stroke his subordinate's face, in admiration of her loyalty. Or maybe it was because of her niëvity. "Everything happens for a reason."
Castiel is anointed at this interaction, but that is not why he is averting his eye. No, he's examining the pipes, attempting to figure a way out of the holy fire.
"Well Castiel, you have some time." Lucifer turned his attention back to his captive. Time to change your mind." He clarified.
Castiel turned back to Lucifer, glaring. He was not going down without a fight.

~*~*~*~

I was still bleeding, with my mother Ellen quietly attempting to comfort me with kind words.
Dean spoke with Sam, trying but not really succeeding at keeping his voice down. "So now we know where the devil's gonna be, We know when, and we have the Colt."
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "We just have to get past...Eight or so hell hounds and get to the game by midnight."
"Yeah and that's after we get Jo and Ellen the hell out of town." Dean added.
Sam looked over at Jo, then turned back to his brother. "Won't be easy."
"Stretcher?" Dean proposed.
"I'll see what we got." Sam informed him.
"Stop." I spoke up, using what little strength I have left. "Guys, stop." Once I had their attention, I continued. "Can we, uh, be realistic about this please?". I was not going to get them killed trying to get me out of her alive when I am so far gone, and just let the mission fail. Let alone, leave Cas to fend for himself.
Sam and Dean walked back over to me, concerned as to what I could possibly mean by that statement.
I inhaled sharply before picking back up on what I had to say. "I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an Ace bandage. We got to...We got to get our priorities straight here." I glared at them, trying to get this to sink into their stubborn minds. "Number one - I'm not gong anywhere."
My mom interrupted me. "Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that-"
"Mom." I looked to her, trying to get her to see it in my eyes. I'm done. "I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something." I looked back over to the boys when I resumed. "We've got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails - Everything we need."
"Everything we need?" Sam asked, confused as to what I was getting at.
I explained, "To build a bomb, Sam."
Then everyone looked to me, upset at my suggestion of suicide, and sad that a member of their family did not have any hope of surviving this.
"No. Jo...no." Dean was definitely not going to let me go that easily, even if it wasn't rally that easy.
"You got another plan?" I asked rhetorically. "You got any other plan?"
Dean just gaped, unable to come up with anything promising just then.
"Those are hell hounds out there, Dean." I pointed out. "They've got all of out scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you. We let the dogs in," My voice broke. "You guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over, and I can wait here with my finger on the button. Rip those mutts a new one. Or at least get you a few minutes' head start, anyway."
"No, I...I won't let you." My mom objected.
"This is why we're here, right? If I can get us a shot on the Devil...Dean, we have to take it." I looked to him to make the final decision.
"No!" Mom interjected. "That's not-"
"Mom." I called her attention back to what I was saying. "This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. You might want to take it."
She broke down into sobs once again. Lips trembling, shaking, mom looked to me and nodded.  Clearing her throat, she turned to Sam and Dean and said "You heard her, get to work."

~*~*~*~

The boys quickly grabbed whatever they could from the hardware store to use in the bomb, and whatever else was for their fight to kill the Devil. Sam took several handfuls of nails and buckets, while Dean went for the propane bottles and wires.
They set up to build the bomb on a table, having amassed enough for a very large explosion. Dean attached the chords to the tanks while Sam prepped the buckets; he lined them up and added a mixture of rock salt and nails, surrounding the tanks when those were ready to be set inside.
The setup was well done, even in their rush to finish before the hell hounds could come back and find a way through the door.
While Dean was checking over the work with scrutiny, Sam sat with Me, holding my hand for what they all knew to be the last time.
Then it was Dean's turn to say his farewell. He brought the bomb trigger to me, scared to actually say goodbye, and told me, "Okay, this is it." He then gave me what was probably the saddest expression I had ever seen on that pretty little face of his. In that face, I saw what could've been, what should've been, but also what would never be. "I'll see you on the other side'". Dean tried to lighten the mood, however futile. "Probably sooner than later."
"Make it later." I told him. Surely I would not let him get himself killed on this mission because his mind was all filled up with me.
Silently, Dean took my hand and put the button inside, and I could feel his warmth, especially when I was starting to feel cold. Thankfully, he let it linger a few moments longer.
We looked at each other, making eye contact full of so much emotion and sorrow. It was a silent conversation, and I appreciated every second. He leaned in, and while I half-hoped he was going to kiss me, I knew that he would only kiss my forehead, which of course is what he did. He stayed there, and I began to tear up yet again. I wouldn't be hurting very much longer, but all those lost possibilities will stay with him.
He pulled away, looked at me again, and I swear it was like he read my mind; he went back in, but for a real kiss. Although it was gentle and sad, it was what I wanted. One last kiss with the his amazing man.
He rested his forehead against mine one last time, and before I was ready, he was gone. He rose and walked to another part of the hardware store, and then my mother took his place. She crouched down, and just held my hand. Then she gave me a look. It was a knowing look, and it could not mean anything good. Then it dawned on me: she was never going to leave me here to die alone. "Mom, no." I pleaded.
"Somebody's gotta let them in." She reasoned. "And like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo. And you're right. This is important. But I will not leave you here alone."
"Dean." Sam barely spoke up.
"Get goin' now, boys." Mom told them.
"Ellen?" Dean said in question.
"I said go." They started out, but my mom added one more thing. "And Dean...kick it in the ass. Don't miss."
There was one more moment of hesitation before they left, then they were gone.
My mom turned to me, and brushed the dirty hair out of my face. I could feel my lungs Bergen to burn and fill, and I started to gasp for air. We heard the hounds banging at the front door agin, and my mother, Ellen, rose and approached the massive chains wrapped around the handles. She unraveled them and tossed it aside, breaking the line of salt immediately after, and releasing propane gas in the air in preparation for the explosion.
I could hear the hiss of tanks as I continued to fall deeper into what felt like muggy water. I could hear mumbling, but I wasn't sure if it was me. I was losing control, and quickly.
My mom told me one last time, 'I will always love you, baby."
I tried to reply, but the words were caught somewhere in my throat.
Then I thought...
I am in-