" Dean! Sammy! Help!" Then everything went black again...
I woke up, gasping for air, everything was bright and quiet, I sat up, looking around. Where am I? Am I on the top side? My eyes focused finally, I looked around again, I am... I remember watching then I was grabbed! I stood up, I wobbled, but gained my balance, I fell again, I huffed then noticed I was next to a grave. My eyes rolled back and everything went dark...
I woke up again, to a familiar voice, Dean's voice... my Dean's voice?
I heard him say" Riv- River?" I coughed," What?" I was lifted up, shaken, I whined, opening my eyes, I saw Dean. I gasped then hugged his neck, we fell onto the ground,
I said" Hi, Dean." His hand held the back of my head, I gulped, how am I back? I've been in hell for 3 years... I counted, even if it was hard because hell's time is different. I was four when I died, now I'm seven! Dean stood up, putting me down, he grabbed my hand as we started walking.
We finally found civilization, well... a fill up stop. We walked to the door, Dean knocked,
He said" Hello?" He let go of my hand, and wrapped his shirt around his fist, he broke the window and opened the door
We walked in, we immediately went to the cooler, he gave me a water, I opened it and drank fast. Seeing him do the same, Dean walked to the newspapers.
He said" September..." I tilted my head, he walked over to a sink and mirror. I found candy, I licked my lips then grabbed a few candy bars, sticking them into my pocket. I looked around, then I heard static, I ran to Dean. He turned off the tv, then the radio turned on, the tv turned back on. I slid under the counter, holding my ears, the ringing... I remember this ringing. I heard glass shattering, I squeezed my eyes shut, whimpering, stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Once it stopped, I still didn't want to move, then Dean lifted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held onto him as he started walking.
We were at a phone booth, I was sitting outside while Dean went to call Sam. Then he came out, grabbing my hand, we walked to an old car, and he hot wired it. He put me in, I scooted over and he got in, he drove off.
I said" Did ya find Sam?"
He said" No... but uh, you remember Bobby?" I nodded," Riv, buddy, how are you back?" I shrugged," You died 3 years ago, River, what happened?"
" Azazel took me from the reaper lady, locked me in hell."
" Hold on-Hold... you've been in hell for the last 3 years?!" I nodded my head," I'm so sorry, Riv, we thought you were dead... we thought we couldn't bring you back. What-What do you remember?"
" The car crash. Where's dad?" He coughed, then stared at the road, he sighed.
" Uh, he uh... he died. A few days after you."
" How?"
" He-He brought me back, I was in a coma."
" Why didn't he bring me back too?" My lip shook, Dean sighed,
" I don't know, buddy. I don't know. But it doesn't matter now, you're back."
" Why were you in that grave?"
" You ask a lot of questions, huh?" I shrugged," I died. In a deal. To save Sam."
" You guys forgot about me, didn't you?"
" No! No, River, are you joking? We never forgot about you, okay? Ever. We blamed ourselves for you dying. We never forgot about you."
——
We got to Bobby's, Dean knocked on the door, I was holding onto his stomach, peeking out from his side. Bobby opened the door,
Dean said" Surprise."
Bobby said" I don't..."
" Yeah, me neither. But here I am." I let go of Dean as I saw the shine of silver, I backed away, Bobby attacked. They fought," Bobby, it's me!"
" My ass."
" Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed. You're about the closest thing I have to a father. Bobby... it's me." Bobby touched his shoulder then lunged with the knife," Whoa! I am not a shapeshifter."
" Then you're a revenant!"
" All right. If I was either, would I do this with a silver knife?" He cut his arm, it bled,
" Dean?"
" That's what I've been trying to tell you." They hugged,
" It's-It's good to see you, boy."
" Yeah, you too."
" But... how did you bust out?"
" I don't know. I just, uh... just woke up in a pine bo-" Bobby splashed him with holy water,
I said" He's not a demon, either, you know."
Bobby said" Sorry. Can't be too careful." I walked to Dean, wrapping my arms around his stomach again, clinging to him. It feels like a dream, maybe it is a dream, a sick dream, one of the demons playing tricks on me again. They do that... did that? I don't know, everything is different now, and I'm really confused. We walked into the library," That don't make a lick of sense."
Dean said" Yeah. Yeah, you're preaching to the choir."
" Dean, your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop, and you'd been buried four months. Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meats-"
" I know. I should look like a Thriller video reject. Let's not even start about Thriller double." He rubbed my hair back,
" What do you remember?"
" Not much. I remember I was a hellhound's chew toy... and then lights-out. Then I came to six feet under. That was it. Sam's number's not working. He's, uh- he's not..."
" Oh, he's alive, as far as I know."
" Good. Wait. What do you mean- as far as you know?"
" I haven't talked to him for months."
" You're kidding? You just let him go off by himself?"
" He was dead set on it."
" Bobby, you should have been looking after him."
" I tried. These last months haven't been exactly easy, you know, for him or me. We had to bury you."
" Why did you bury me, anyway?"
" I wanted you salted and burned- usual drill- but Sam wouldn't have it."
" Well, I'm glad he won that one."
" He said you'd need a body when he got you back home somehow. That's about all he said."
" What do you mean?"
" He was quiet... real quiet. Then he just took off. Wouldn't return my calls. I tried to find him, but he don't want to be found."
" Oh, dammit, Sammy."
" What?"
" Oh, he got me home okay. But whatever he did, it is bad mojo."
" What makes you so sure?"
" You should have seen the grave site. It was like a nuke went off. Then there was this- this force, this presence, that, I don't know, but it-it-it blew past us at a fill up joint. And then this." He moved my arms, I pouted, he took off the over shirt, and pulled up his sleeve, I saw a handprint.
" What in the hell?"
" Yeah, it's like a demon just yanked me out or rode me out."
" But why?"
" To hold up their end of the bargain."
" You think Sam made a deal?"
" It's what I would have done." I gripped his shirt in my fists, my heartbeat went down.
Dean said" I have a, uh, cellphone account with you guys and, uh, Lost my phone. I was wondering if you could turn the gps on for me. Yeah. The name's Wedge Antilles. Social is 2474. Thank you." We walked to the desk,
Bobby said" How'd you know he's use that name?" Dean sat down,
" You kidding me? What don't I know about that kid? Hey, bobby. What's the deal with the liquor store, hmm? Your parents out of town of something?"
" Like I said, the last few months ain't been all that easy."
" Right. Sam's in Pontiac, Illinois."
" Right near where you were planted."
" Right where I popped up. Hell of a coincidence, don't you think?"
——
I woke up when Dean tried to move me, I clutched his shirt, whimpering loudly.
Dean said" Come on, River, let go of me. You've been clinging to me since we got back."
I said" No."
" Think if you let go it'll all go away?" I nodded," Well, it's real, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. This isn't a dream, it's real." I let go of him, he got out then grabbed my arm, pulling me out." Now, let's go see Sam, okay?" I nodded,
" Okay, De." He held my hand as we walked to the motel.
Dean knocked on a motel room door, a girl answered,
She said" So, where is it?"
Dean said" Where's what?"
" The pizza that takes two guys to deliver."
" I think we got the wrong room."
I heard Sam say" Hey, is-" I peeked out from behind Dean,
" Hey, ya, Sammy." Dean walked in, Sam attacked, pinning Dean to the wall, Bobby stepped in, pulling Sam off Dean.
" Who are you?!"
" Like you didn't do this!"
" Do what?!"
Bobby said" It's him. It's him, Sam. I've been through this already. It's really him."
" But..."
Dean said" I know... I look fantastic, huh?" They hugged, I whined and walked to Dean, hiding behind him, peeking out to look at Sammy.
The girl said" So, are you two, like... together?"
Sam said" What? No. No. He's my brother."
" O-Oh. Got it... I-I guess. Look, I should probably go."
" Yeah, yeah. That's probably a good idea. Sorry."
I was clinging to Dean's side, Sam sat down, the girl left.
Dean said" So, tell me, what'd it cost?"
Sam said" The girl? I don't pay, Dean."
" That's not funny, Sam. To bring me back. What'd it cost? Was it just your soul, or was it something worse?"
" You think I made a deal?"
Bobby said" That's exactly what we think."
" Well, I didn't."
Dean said" Don't lie to me."
" I'm not lying."
" So, what now?" Dean moved my arms off him," I'm off the hook, and you're on, is that it?" He walked to towards Sam," You're some demon's bitch boy? I didn't want to be saved like this."
" Look, Dean, I wish I had done it, all right?" Dean grabbed Sam,
" There's no other way that this could have gone down. Now tell the truth!" Sam pulled Dean's hands off,
" I tried everything. That's the truth. I tried opening the devil's gate. Hell, I tried to bargain, Dean, but no demon would deal, all right? You were rotting in hell for months- for months- and I couldn't stop it. So, I'm sorry it wasn't me, all right? Dean, I'm sorry."
" It's okay, Sammy. You don't have to apologize. I believe you."
Bobby said" Don't get me wrong- I am gladdened that Sam's soul remains intact- but that does raise a sticky question."
" If he didn't pull us out, then what did?" I went to Dean, clutching his shirt again, Sam looked at me,
Sam said" Hey, Riv."
I said" Sammy." I made grabby hands to him, he smiled and lifted me up, hugging me. I clung to him, digging my face into his shoulder, wrapping my legs around his stomach.
" Dean-"
Dean said" He was in hell... for 3 years."
" What?"
" Yellow-eyes stole him when a reaper was trying to cross him over or whatever. Last thing he remembered was the car crash." Sam's arms tightened around me," He thinks this is all a dream, I told him it's not, but I'm not sure he totally believes me. Dug myself out, first thing I see is River on the ground, passed out. A bit older, but it was River."
Dean said" So what were you doing around here if you weren't digging me out of my grave?"
Sam said" Well, once I figured out I couldn't save you, um... I started hunting down Lilith, trying to get some payback."
Bobby said" All by yourself? Who do you think you are, your old man?"
" Uh... Yeah, I'm sorry, Bobby. I-I should have called." Dean walked away," I was pretty messed up." Dean held up something,
Dean said" Oh, yeah. I really feel your pain."
" Anyways, uh, I was checking these demons out of Tennessee, and out of nowhere they took a hard left, booked up here."
" When?"
" Yesterday morning."
" When I busted out."
Bobby said" You think these demons are here 'cause of you?"
Sam said" But why?"
Dean said" Well, I don't know. Some badass demon drags me and River out, and now this? It's got to be connected somehow."
Bobby said" How you feeling, anyway?"
" I'm a little hungry."
" No, I mean, do you feel like yourself? Anything strange or different?" I flopped my head onto Sam's shoulder, looking at Bobby.
" Or demonic? Bobby, how many times do I have to prove I'm me?"
" Yeah, well, listen- no demon's letting you loose out of the goodness of their hearts. They got to have something nasty planned."
" Well, I feel fine."
Sam said" Okay, look, we don't know what they're planning. We got a pile of questions and no shovel. We need help."
Bobby said" I know a psychic a few hours from here. Something this big, maybe she's heard the other side talking."
Dean said" Hell, yeah. It's worth a shot."
" I'll be right back." He walked away, Dean stood up, then Sam did, I huffed.
Sam said" Hey, wait. You probably want this back." He gave Dean his necklace back,
Dean said" Thanks."
" Don't mention it. Hey, Dean, what was it like?"
" What? Hell?"
" I don't know. I-I-I-I must have blacked it out. I don't remember a damn thing."
" Thank god for that."
" Yeah." I jumped onto Sam, he instantly grabbed me, I nuzzled my face against his shoulder." River, gonna stop clinging any time soon?" I shook my head," Yeah, figured that. Hey, River, you remember anything from Hell?" I shrugged,
" Like what, buddy?"
I said" All the screaming. Everyone was screaming. I was screaming. For a long time... then I stopped." I yawned, rubbing my eyes," Can I go to sleep?"
" Yeah, bud, you can go to sleep." I closed my eyes, falling asleep, I'm really sleepy, but it's my first real rest in 3 years... so I guess I should be sleepy.
——
I woke up in the car... alone, I breathed heavily,
I said" Dean! Sammy! De?!" I pulled my knees to my chest, squeezing my eyes shut.
A demon laughed, pushing me over, I cried more, pulling my knees tighter against my chest and I squeezed my eyes shut.
I screamed" Dean! Sammy!"
The demon laughed" Oh, your brothers won't ever find you here!" They poked me with something really hot, I screamed loudly, tucking my face between my knees.
Everything was shaking, then it stopped once I could breathe properly again.
We were in a diner, Bobby's friend got hurt when she was trying to see the thing that brought De and me back. She was at the hospital.
The waitress said" Be up in a jiff." She walked away, Sam walked back to us and sat down.
Dean said" What'd Bobby say?"
Sam said" Uh, Pam's stable and out of ICU."
" And blind 'cause of us?"
" And we still have no clue what we're dealing with."
" That's not entirely true."
" No?"
" We got a name- Castiel or whatever. With the right mumbo jumbo, we could summon him, bring him right to us."
" You're crazy. Absolutely not."
" We'll work him over. I mean, after what he did?"
" Pam took a peek at him and her eyes burned out of her skull, and you want to have a face to face?"
" You got a better idea?"
" Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. I followed some demons to town, right?"
" Okay?"
" So we go find them. Someone's got to know something about something." The waitress sat pie down," Thanks." She sat down, I scooted closer to Sam, I don't like the feeling I have.
" You angling for a tip?"
She said" I'm sorry. I thought you were looking for us." Her eyes turned black, a guy walked to the door, he locked it," Dean... to hell and back. Aren't you a lucky duck?" Everyone here, except for us, was demons.
" That's me."
" So, you get to just stroll out of the pit, huh? Tell me, what makes you so special?"
" I like to think it's because of my perky nipples. I don't know. It wasn't my doing. I don't know who pulled me out."
" Right. You don't."
" No, I don't."
" Lying's a sin, you know."
" I'm not lying. But I'd like to find out. So if you wouldn't mind enlightening me, Flo."
" Mind your tone with me, boy. I'll drag you back to hell myself." Sam moved, Dean held up his hand, Sam stopped.
" No, you won't."
" No?"
" No. 'Cause if you were, you'd have done it already. The fact is, you don't know who cut me loose. And you're just as spooked as we are. And you're looking for answers. Well, maybe it was some turbocharged spirit, hmm? Or, uh, Godzilla. Or some big, bad boss demon. But I'm guessing at your pay grade that they don't tell you squat. 'Cause whoever it was, they want me out... and they're a lot stronger than you. So, go ahead. Send me back. But don't come crawling to me when they show up on your front doorstep with some vaseline and a fire hose."
" I'm gonna reach down your throat and rip out your lungs." He slapped her, then again, she didn't do anything about it.
" That's what I thought. Let's go, Sam, River." Sam grabbed my hand and we walked to the door," For the pie." We walked out," Holy crap, that was close."
Sam said" We're not just gonna leave them in there, are we, Dean?"
" Well, yeah. There's three of them, probably more. We only got one knife between us."
" I've been killing a lot more demons than that lately."
" Not anymore. The smarter brother's back in town."
" Dean, we got to take them. They are dangerous."
" They're scared, okay? Scared of whatever had the juice to yank me out. We're dealing with a bad mofo here. One job at a time."
I woke up to the ringing, Dean was already up, I whimpered then rolled under the pull out couch. I covered my ears, putting my head in my arms, shielding myself.
After a few minutes, the ringing went away,
I heard Dean say" Riv!" I went to crawl out,
Bobby said" No, River, I'll pick you up." I was picked up, I saw glass all over, Bobby carried me to the doorway and put me down.
We were in Bobby's car, I was on Dean's lap,
Bobby said" How you doing, kid?"
Dean said" Aside from the church bells ringing in my head... peachy." He got out his phone," What are you doing? In my car? Well, uh, Bobby's back. We're going to grab a beer. Riv's with us. Done. Yeah, I'll catch you later." He closed his phone,
" Why the hell didn't you tell him?"
" 'Cause he'd just try to stop us."
" From what?"
" Summoning this thing. It's time we face it head on." I looked at him, tilting my head, no way!
" You can't be serious."
" As a heart attack. It's high noon, baby."
" We don't know what it is. I-It could be a demon. It could be anything."
" That's why we got to be ready for anything." He pulled out a knife," We got the big-time magic knife. You got an arsenal in the trunk."
" This is a bad idea."
" I couldn't agree more, but what other choice do we have?"
" We could choose life."
" Bobby, whatever this is, whatever it wants. It's after me- that much we know, right? Well, I got no place to hide. I can either get caught with my pants down again, or we can make our stand."
" Dean, we could use Sam for this."
" Nah, he's better off where he is." I looked at him, I don't like this idea, it's not safe and it's really, really, really dumb!
We were in some barn,
Dean said" That's a hell of an art project you got going there."
Bobby said" Traps and talismans from every faith on the globe. How you doing?"
" Stakes, iron, silver, salt, knife- I mean, we're pretty much set to catch and kill anything I've ever heard of."
" This is still a bad idea."
" Yeah, Bobby, I heard you the first 10 times. What do you say we ring the dinner bell?"
I said" What if it's something you haven't heard of?"
" Let's ring the dinner bell." Bobby walked over to the table,
He said" Amate spiritus obscure..."
We're waiting,
Dean said" You sure you did the ritual right?" Bobby stared," Sorry. Touchy, touchy, huh?" Then the wind picked up, everything rumbled," Wishful thinking, but maybe it's just the wind." The lights started blowing out, I saw the doors open and a man walked in, Dean and Bobby started shooting. But it didn't worked, the man walked up to Dean," Who are you?"
The man said" I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."
" Yeah. Thanks for that." Dean stabbed him with the knife, but that didn't do anything either. The man pulled the knife out and dropped it onto the ground. Bobby went to hit him with a crowbar but he grabbed the crowbar mid-swing. He touched Bobby's forehead and Bobby fell, I hid behind Dean.
" We need to talk, Dean. Alone."
Dean checked Bobby's pulse,
The man said" Your friend is alive."
Dean said" Who are you?"
" Castiel."
" Yeah, I figured that much. I mean what are you?"
" I'm an angel of the lord."
" Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing."
" This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith." Thunder cracked, I jumped and dug my face into Dean's side.
" Some angel you are. You burned out that poor woman's eyes."
" I warned her not to spy on my true form. It can be overwhelming to humans and so can my real voice... but you already knew that."
" You mean the gas station and the motel? That was you talking?" He nodded," Buddy, next time, lower the volume."
" That was my mistake. Certain people- special people- can perceive my true visage. I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong."
" And what visage are you in now, huh? What- Holy tax accountant?"
" This? This is... a vessel?"
" You're possessing some poor bastard?"
" He's a devout man. He actually prayed for this."
" Look, pal, I'm not buying what you're selling. So who are you, really?"
" I told you."
" Right. And why would an angel rescue me from hell?"
" Good things do happen, Dean."
" Not in my experience."
" What's the matter? You don't think you deserve to be saved."
" Why'd you do it?"
" Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you." I looked up at Dean, confused.