Those Who Fall

18

Dean and Em reappeared, just outside the motel door. "Close enough," Em shrugged. She knocked, and Gabriel let them in.

He was already healing Castiel and Sam, and Em set to work on Dean.

Once she had finished, she sat back and said, "Alright boys. Spill."

Halfway through their story, Dean's phone rang. He answered. "Hello?"

"Put my daughter on." It was Tim Thran.

He put it on speaker phone. "She's not here, would you like to leave a message?"

"Don't toy with me, Winchester. I know you have her. You will bring her to the Grand Canyon, or I will kill everyone in that little town you boys have hunkered down in. You have until midnight."

He hung up, leaving the dial tone the only thing filling the silence.

_____

The car rolled to a stop, and Dean turned the keys in the ignition.

"Hey, um, if this goes-"

"Don't finish that," Dean said quietly.

"I, uh, just wanted to say I'm glad you guys picked me up in Minnesota."

The Winchester's looked at each other. "Thanks, Em," Sam said.

Gabriel and Castiel had appeared outside the car. The other three got out.

"This is likely a trap," Castiel murmured.

"Yeah. But we have something he doesn't," Dean smirked. "Two full blooded angels." He looked to Sammy. "Two pretty good hunters." He looked down to Em, who had her knife out. "And a kid who's a mix of both." He reached out and rumpled her hair.

She whined jokingly, half heartedly batting at his hands, but it put a smile on her too-serious face, so that was enough for Dean.

"Let's go."

——

"I don't like this plan, Dean," Castiel murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I don't either."

"Then why is this our master plan?" Em asked, making her knife disappear.

"Because it's the best one we got."

Sam and Gabriel were running distraction while Em, Castiel, and Dean were going to confront the 'big bad.'

"Right, War doesn't have good choices, just choosing between the bad ones," Em muttered.

"When'd you get so deep?" Dean asked.

"It's from a book."

The three walked forward, seeing the dark silhouette of the demon that summoned them in front of the Grand Canyon. "So you all got my note," he drawled, and Em paled, taking a shaky breath.

"You know this guy?"

"Adoptive father, Tim Thran."

"We didn't come because you called, we came because-" Castiel started.

"Right, right. The Righteous Man and his pet angel came to kill me, with their mutt friend."

Castiel and Dean exchanged a look. The demon Mr. Thran smirked. "You did want to know what she was, didn't you?"

"Honestly, it doesn't matter. We tried to teach her how to hunt, how to use her powers, how to help people. That's what matters," Dean said.

Em yelped, and she clutched at her head. Castiel put his hand on her shoulder and held her up. Her physical form flickered, becoming insubstantial briefly. She fizzled out. "Em?" Castiel asked. He looked up and Tim was holding her against him, a knife at her throat.