Chapter 108

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S14 E1: Stranger in a Strange Land
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It's been three weeks since apocalypse Michael took Dean away from us, Sam was headed back from Atlanta.
I walked into the map room and saw Sam on the computer, Mary stopped his typing.
He said" I'm good. I am. Hey, how's Jack?" I walked to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, laying my head on top of his.
I said" You need sleep, Sam."
" I'm good, Hazel."
" I've heard that too many times to actually believe that." I mean, it's not like I'm any better than he is, we've seen Dean taken away from us too many times, but we've always gotten him back. Sam hasn't slept barely any, I mean... I get maybe 2 hours every other night.

I was laying next to Jack, he's not going well with the whole fighting thing, he's not used to it. I grew up fighting, I know how to take out an enemy in seconds, but he was born with powers and never had any time to actually learn to fight. Sam came in,
He said" Hey."
Jack said" Hey."
" I, uh... chatted with Bobby." He sat down," He said you may have had a rough day today."
" It was fine."
" Okay. Jack... I know this must be so hard. Without your grace, without your powers, it's a lot, I'm sure. But you can get past this. I know you will. I have faith in you, Jack. And I believe in you. And-" Mary came in,
She said" Hey. Sam, um, he's awake."
" I have to, uh-"
Jack said" I know."
" We'll talk later, all right?" He walked out, closing the door, I looked at Jack as he closed his eyes. Somehow, someway, Nick has survived, and we don't know how the hell it happened. It's confusing.
——
A demon got Cas, and now we have to go get him.
Mary said" It's a trap."
Sam said" Yep."
Bobby said" This guy's a-"
" Demon."
Jack said" He just told you he was a demon?"
" Yeah. He seemed pretty proud of it, too."
Bobby said" Yeah, they ain't a real humble bunch."
Maggie said" So, what do we do?"
Sam said" We get Cas back. All right, grab holy water, devil's trap bullets, angel blades, because whatever we're walking into-"
Bobby said" It's gonna suck."
" Exactly. Maggie, you're with Bobby. Mom, you're with me." I looked at Jack,
He said" I'm coming, too. I know I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I can help. I have to." I looked at Sam, nodding my head,
Bobby said" Listen, kid-"
Sam said" Okay. Grab your gear." Jack smiled, then ran to his room, I followed him.
I said" Jack, I've got your back."
He said" And I've got your back."
" Learning well, tiger."

Sam was chewing on his nail, he was nervous,
Mary said" Sam, it's gonna be fine."
He scoffed" Stop saying that, please."
" What?"
" It's gonna be fine, that everything's gonna be fine, we're gonna find Dean, and-"
" We are."
" You don't know that. Dean's gone, and we have no idea where he is or-or if he's even still alive. You know, Michael could have... burned him out or worse, and..."
" I know. I know he's out there, scared and alone. I know. I know he might never come back. Never think I don't know that. But I can't... I have to think about the good, Sam, because, if I don't, I will drown in the bad. For Dean's sake, I can't do that. We can't do that." I looked at Sammy, we can't loose Dean like this, I mean... wouldn't be the first time, but we just can't, we need Dean.
——
We got out,
Sam said" Here." He handed Mary the demon knife,
She said" The demon killing knife, are you sure?"
" Yeah. They'll search me. It's safer with you. All right. You know what to do."
I said" Sammy, don't get dead." He walked in,

We got caught, and dragged into the restaurant,
The demon said" But..."
The one who caught us said" Found them outside. They didn't even put up a fight."
Jack said" I'm Sorry, Sam." He was punched, I struggled,
The dealer said" It's fine. You tried. But I'm gonna need a little bit more now, you know, not to... eat them. I-It's just, you know, late capitalism. You understand. So, Sam, let's make a deal."
Sam said" You're looking to make a deal?"
" I'm a demon. That's how we do." The demon holding me back, pulling me tighter," Please. Sit. No? Suit yourself, barbarian."
" What do you want?"
" That is a very good question. What do I want? You know, I don't know if you're aware or not, Sam, but hell's in a bit of a pickle... You know, with Crowley dead and Asmodeus Kentucky fried, which means-"
" I don't care."
" Yes, you do. Or you will. You see, for the first time in a very long time, Hell is without a king. And that- that's just not right. So, I-"
" So, you volunteer."
" Exactly."
" Why are you telling me all this?"
" Because I want to work with you, Sam, not against you."
Cas said" And is that why you took me hostage?"
" It's exactly why you're still breathing. It gives me a chance to show Sam and friends that I can hurt them... but choose not to. You see, I want the Crowley deal. I give you information, a spot of help every now and again, and in return, you choose to turn a blind eye to the crossroads deals, the demon-on-demon violence, et cetera."
Sam said" We never gave Crowley that deal."
" How exciting. Then I would be breaking new ground."
" All right. You got some good lines, I'll give you that much, but you're no Crowley. I know that. And so do they."
" Ouch!" He laughed," Owie! I know that I'm not that ponce-y son of a bitch. You see, in life, I rode with Genghis Khan, and I burned half the world. So, please, do you think that I like prancing around like this? Please, if I had it my way, I would eat your heart. But a king has an image to maintain." He was in Sam's face," And I'm not afraid of you. But... they are. So, take the deal, Sam, before I stop trying to be Crowley and I show you who I really am." He walked away from Sam," So, what do you say, darling?"
" No."
" A-Are you sure, because I know things, a-all sorts of things."
" Yeah. So do I."
" Like?" Bobby busted in, Jack and I got loose, Jack grabbed Maggie and we took cover. Sam was thrown by the demon trying to be Crowley, then Mary stabbed a demon with an angel blade.
Jack said" Hey. Stay low." He ran out, I followed," Hey! Get away from him." He got into a fighting stance, oh, shit! No, no!, he got punched down, I took on the other demon, I dodged a hit, and punched him, he punched me then I was kicked into the wall. I got dizzy,
I heard Sam yell" Enough!" Everyone stopped," There will be no new king of hell. Not today. Not ever. And if anybody wants the job, you can come through me. Understood? So, what's it gonna be?" The remaining alive smoked out," That's what I thought."
——
I sitting on the ground next to Jack's bed, he was staring into the mirror, I don't know what to say to him, because he's taking a better route then I did. Cas walked to the door,
He said" Hey, Jack."
Jack said" I'm fine." He's a terrible liar,
" You did well."
" All I did was get punched... in the face."
" Well, to be fair, we all got punched in the face."
" That's not- Before, when I had my powers, I-I could have done something, and-"
" Jack. You don't- You-you don't have your powers. And you- Your grace should regenerate in time, but until then-"
" I'm useless. I can't kill demons, I can't find Dean. And Michael is in our world, and I can't stop him. I can't do anything. I don't have anything." I laid my head down,
" Oh, Jack, that's just not true. You've got me. You have all of us. You have your family. And-And we are going to find Dean and we are going to beat Michael and we're going to do it together. We- Because that's what we do." He walked out, I stood up, looking at Jack, I walked to him, grabbing the rag from the sink and wetting it. I started cleaning his face,
I said" Cas is right, Jack. We've got family, and that is the strongest thing anyone could have. Especially for us."

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