Bobby was sitting at his desk in his library, with a pile of books in front of him. Sam was sitting in a chair at the kitchen table talking to Dean and I. Dean of which was standing, while I was sitting across from Sam.
"Well, then tell me what else it could be." Sam said to Dean. "Look, all I know is we were not groped by an angel." Dean said. "Okay, look, Dean. Why do you think this Castiel would lie to you and (Name) about it?" Sam asked.
"Maybe he's some kind of demon. Demons lie." Dean said. "A demon who's immune to salt rounds and devil's traps... and Ruby's knife?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. "Dean, Lilith is scared of that thing!" Sam exclaimed. "Don't you think that if angels were real, that some hunter somewhere would have seen one... at some point... ever?" Dean asked.
"Yeah. We just did, Dean." I said, looking at him in disbelief. "I'm trying to come up with a theory here. Okay? Work with me." Dean said, annoyed. "Dean, we have a theory." Sam said.
"Yeah, one with a little less fairy dust on it, please." Dean said. "Okay, look. I'm not saying we know for sure. I'm just saying that I think we..." Sam started to say, but his brother interrupted him.
"Okay, okay. That's the point. We don't know for sure, so I'm not gonna believe that this thing is a freaking Angel of the Lord because it says so!" Dean yelled. "Dean, you saw those wings. That's kind of hard to deny." I said.
"You three chuckleheads want to keep arguing religion, or do you want to come take a look at this?" Bobby asked, putting an end to our argument. The boys and I exchanged a look and enter the library, walking over to Bobby's desk.
"I got stacks of lore... Biblical, pre-Biblical. Some of it's in damn cuneiform. It all says an angel can snatch a soul from the pit." Bobby said, looking down at a large book he was reading.
Dean and I stare down at the picture of an angle grabbing someone by their shoulder, to pull them out of hell. We both place our hands on our shoulders, where the brands laid underneath our sleeves.
"What else?" Dean asked. "What else, what?" Bobby asked. "What else could do it?" Dean asked. "Airlift your and her's asses out of the hot box? As far as I can tell, nothing." Bobby replied and Dean shook his head, still not wanting to believe it.
"Dean, this is good news." Sam said to him. "How?" Dean asked. "Because for once, this isn't just another round of demon crap. I mean, maybe you and (Name) were saved by one of the good guys, you know?" Sam suggested.
"Okay. Say it's true. Say there are angels. Then what? There's a God?" Dean asked. "At this point, Vegas money's on yeah." Bobby said. "I don't know, guys." Dean grumbled. "Okay, look. I know you're not all choirboy about this stuff, but this is becoming less and less about faith and more and more about proof." Sam said.
"Proof?" Dean asked. "Yes." Sam replied. "Proof that there's a God out there that actually gives a crap about me personally? (Name) I'll buy sure, but me? I'm sorry, but I'm not buying that." Dean said. "Why not?" Sam asked.
"Because why me? If there is a God out there, why would he give a crap about me?" Dean asked. "Dean..." Sam said, exasperated. "I mean, I've saved some people, okay? I figured that made up for the stealing and the ditching chicks. But why do I deserve to get saved?" Dean asked.
"You think I have any clue on why God cares about me? I haven't exactly done things to get on his good favor, either." I said, agitated. "Yeah, but I'm just a regular guy." Dean said. "Yeeeah. So am I." I said, pointing to myself. "We're both just regular people, Dean." I said.
"Apparently, you're both regular people that's important to the man upstairs." Sam said. "Well, that creeps me out. I mean, I don't like getting singled out at birthday parties, much less by... God." Dean said. "Okay, well, too bad, Dean, because I think he wants you to strap on your party hat." Sam said.
"Fine. What do we know about angels?" Dean asked. Bobby picks up a pile of fat and weighty looking books and puts them in front of Dean. "Start reading." He said, Dean looks at the pile of books, and turns towards Sam. "You're gonna get me some pie." He said and grabs a book from the top of the pile, walking off.
I let out a sigh, shaking my head. "You want to come with?" Sam asked me. "No, I should stay back and help read through all these books." I replied, picking up the next book on top of the pile. "Okay, be back soon." Sam said, smiling and leans down to kiss my cheek. I let out a little giggle feeling his lips against my skin, as my cheeks heated up.
About an hour later, Sam returns right as Dean, Bobby, and I were packing up his car. Bobby approaches the car window, when Sam parked the Impala. "Keep the engine running." He said to Sam. "Why? What's going on?" He asked.
"I got a friend one state over... Olivia Lowry. I've been trying to reach her for three days on this angel thing. It's not like her to ignore this many calls." Bobby replied. "Olivia Lowry.... a hunter, right?" Sam asked. "Yeah. We're gonna go check on her. You guys follow me." Bobby said, stepping away from the Impala.
Dean approaches the driver's side of the car, as Bobby heads to his own car. "Scoot over." He said to Sam. "Yeah." Sam said, scooting over to the passenger side as I climb in the backseat.
Dean gets the in driver seat and grabs the bag of food Sam bought back and looks inside it. "Dude?" He said, still looking in the bag. "Yeah?" Sam asked, turning to look at him, Dean turns his head to look at him. "Where's the pie?"
Later, we arrived at Olivia's house and enter armed with guns. "Olivia?" Bobby called out, getting no answer. We find Olivia dead and covered in blood on the floor and Bobby walks away, out of the room. "Dad?" I called out to him, but he went back outside. "Salt line." Sam said, I look at him and follow where he was pointing. There was a line of salt at the doorway.
The boys and I look around the room and Dean picks up an EMF reader. "Olivia was rocking the EMF meter." Sam nodded. "Spirit activity." He said. "Yeah... on steroids. I never seen a ghost do this to a person." Dean said, looking from the EMF to Olivia's body.
Bobby enters the room again, his phone in his hand. "Dad, you all right?" I asked him. "I called some hunters nearby..." Bobby said, gesturing to his phone. "Good. We can use their help." Dean said.
"...except they ain't answering their phones either." Bobby said. "Something's up, huh?" Sam asked. "You think?" Bobby asked and walks out of the room again. The boys and I look at each other, concerned.
The boys and I went to another hunter's house after leaving him a message. Just like with Olivia, he was brutally murdered his own home by something. We called Bobby telling him about what we found and he told us to come back to the house.
"Wakey wakey (Name). Come now. Don't tell me you've passed out again so early. We haven't even gotten to the best part yet." Alastair said, as he loomed over me, with his razor. "N-no. Please no. Please just stop." I begged, choking out some of my blood. "Now now, you know there's only one way out of this." Alastair said, smirking.
I glared back up at him and spit some of my blood at him. Alastair turn his head away, wiping the blood off his face. "Very well." He said, calmly. Then he grabs a fist full of my hair, jerking my head back and forcing my mouth open. I struggled and screamed as he place the razor in my mouth to cut out my tongue.
I jolted awake, breathing heavily as I stare up at the roof the Impala. I ran my hands down my sweaty face and sat up to see Dean asleep in the passenger seat. I turn my head to look out the window, seeing Sam taking a gas pump from the machine and walking around to the back of the Impala to inserted it into the car.
I slide over to door on the passenger side and climb out. I close the door and walk over to Sam right as he stood up. When he notice me walking towards him and he look worried. "(Name)?" He said, quietly.
I didn't say anything and just went right up and hug him tightly. Sam stood there for a moment surprised, then wrap his arms around me to return the hug. "Hey, hey. Everything alright?" He asked, softly.
I nodded and pull away from the hug, trying to keep myself composed. "Y-yeah yeah, I'm fine. I uh... I just really wanted a hug." I said, stuffing my trembling hands in my pockets.
"Are you sure? You look pale." Sam asked, looking at me concerned. "Well... I guess I did kind of have a nightmare. But it's nothing. Just the usual night terror stuff you know." I said, shifting my weight to one side. "You want talk about it?" He asked.
I thought for a moment and shook my head. "No. Not really." I replied, turning to lean against the trunk of the car. "Alright." Sam muttered. He reach his hand out, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear, and then places that hand to my cheek. "Just remember, if you ever need to talk. I'm right here." He said, softly.
I glance up at him and nodded, slightly. When I look away, Sam leans down to kiss my head. "Okay. I'm going to bathroom. I'll be right back." He said, pulling his hand away and giving me a reassuring smile.
Sam walks to the restroom while the gas continues pumping. I lower my head thinking back to Alastair and the torture he put me through. I took my hands out of my pocket to hug myself, taking in a deep breath and exhaling. To reassure myself that time is over.
But when I exhale, my breath was visible. I look at it startled as it disappeared. "Dean!" I yelled, running to the passenger door to wake him up.
Dean and I each grab a shotgun and ran to the bathroom, kicking in the door to see Henriksen looming over Sam on the ground. We aim and fire, shooting Henriksen, who dissipates. "Sam!" I yelled out, running over to his side.
Dean was now driving and using his phone. Sam is in the passenger seat with bruises on his face. "Damn it, Bobby! Pick up!" Dean growled, looking at his phone, he then glances to Sam. "How you feeling, huh? How many fingers am I holding up?" He asked.
"None. I'll be fine, Dean." Sam muttered. "Henriksen?" I asked. "Yep." Sam replied. "Why? What did he want?" Dean asked. "Revenge, 'cause we got him killed." Sam said, sadly. "Sam." I said, exasperated.
"Well, we did, (Name)." Sam said. "All right. Stop right there. Whatever the hell is going on, it's happening to us now, okay? I can't get ahold of Bobby, so if you're not thinking answers, don't think at all." Dean growled.
The boys and I made it back to Bobby house by morning. We enter the house, guns cocked and ready. "Bobby?" Dean called out and we soon found an iron poker on the ground, in front of the stairs. Dean gestures to the stairs. "I'll go. You check outside." He said. Sam and I nodded and we walk outside while Dean went upstairs.
Sam and I walk through the junkyard, searching for Bobby. "Dad?" I called out, getting no response. "Bobby?" Sam called out, getting no answer either.
Sam and I continue searching, becoming more anxious. Suddenly our breaths becomes visible. Sam and I exchanged a look and started searching the cars nearby. "Dad?" I called out, running up to one of the cars. "We're here, Bobby?" Sam said as we pride open the trunks with crowbars.
Unable to still find him, I started looking around frantically. "Bobby!" Sam shouted. I turn back to see Sam working his way up a pile of cars. "Hold on, Bobby! I'm coming! Bobby!" He yelled. I ran back towards him.
Sam uses a crowbar to pry open the doors to the car. Suddenly he was push backwards and lands on another car below, bleeding. A little girl jumps on him about to attack. But I took my crowbar and swing it at her, making her disappear. I look up at the car in time to see Bobby doing the same to another little girl.
We return to the house, where Dean told us about his encounter with Meg, or at least the woman she was using possessing. "So, they're all people we know?" Sam asked. "Not just know. People we couldn't save. Hey, I saw something on Meg. Did she have a tattoo when she was alive?" Dean asked.
Sam and I exchanged a quickly glance at each other. "I don't think so." I replied. "It was like a-a mark on her hand... almost like a brand." Dean said and Sam's eyes lit up with realization. "I saw a mark, too, on Henriksen." He said.
"What did it look like?" Bobby asked. "Uh, paper?" Sam asked and takes offered paper. "Thanks." Sam said, starting to sketch out the mark. Once done, he holds the drawing up for Dean to compare. "That's it." Dean said.
Bobby takes the drawing to look at it. "I may have seen this before. We got to move." He said, quickly gathering up some books. "Follow me." He said. "Okay, where are we going?" Sam asked. "Some place safe, you idiot." He replied, walking to the basement door.
Bobby leads us down into the basement and to his Panic room, which was made entirely of iron and covered with pentagrams and Devil's traps. "Bobby, is this..." Sam asked, touching the iron wall. "Solid iron. Completely coated in salt. 100% ghost-proof." Bobby said. "You built a panic room?" Sam asked. "I had a weekend off." Bobby replied.
"I came up with the trap door." I said, proudly. "There's a trap door?" Sam asked. "She insisted. Not like we're ever going to need it." Bobby replied, looking at me. "Trap doors are awesome and it never hurts to be too prepared." I said.
"Bobby." Dean said, holding up one of the guns from the weapons locker. "What?" He asked, looking over at the oldest Winchester. "You're awesome." Dean said and Bobby smiles. "Oh." Dean said, seeing a poster of a swimsuit model.
Later, the boys and I were making salt bullets, while Bobby reads through the books he gathers. "See, this is why I can't get behind God." Dean said. "What are you talking about?" Sam asked him.
"If he doesn't exist, fine. Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason just random, horrible, evil I get it, okay. I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help?" Dean asked.
Sam and I glance at each other than over at Bobby. "I ain't touching this one with at 10-foot pole." Bobby said. "Yeah." Dean grumbled. "Found it." Bobby said, looking back at his book. "What?" I asked, getting up with the boys and walking over to Bobby.
"The symbol you saw the brand on the ghosts..." Bobby said, pointing to one of the pictures in the book, that matches Sam's drawing. "Yeah?" Sam asked. "Mark of the Witness." Bobby said. "Witness? Witness to what?" Sam asked.
"The unnatural. None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts they were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone rose them... on purpose." Bobby explained.
"Who?" I asked. "Do I look like I know? But whoever it was used a spell so powerful it left a mark, a brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called 'the rising of the witnesses.' It figures into an ancient prophecy." Bobby explained.
"Wait, wait. What... what book is that prophecy from?" Dean asked. "Well, the widely distributed version's just for tourists, you know. But long story short... Revelations. This is a sign, kids." Bobby said, looking up at us warily. "A sign of what?" The boys and I asked in unison.
"The apocalypse." Bobby replied. "Apocalypse? The apocalypse, apocalypse? The four horsemen, pestilence, $5-a-gallon-gas apocalypse?" Dean asked and Bobby nodded. "That's the one. The rise of the witnesses is a... a mile marker." He said.
"Okay, so, what do we do now?" I asked. "Road trip. Grand Canyon, Star Trek Experience." Dean said, walking back over to table. "Bunny Ranch." He added, and I looked at him confused.
"First things first. How about we survive our friends out there?" Bobby asked. "Great. Any ideas aside from staying in this room until Judgment Day?" Dean asked. "It's a spell." Bobby said, indicating the paper in front of him. "To send the witnesses back to rest. Should work." He said.
"Should? Great." Sam said. "If I translate it correctly. I think I got everything we need here at the house." Bobby said. "Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?" Dean asked.
"So, you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden? Spell's got to be cast over an open fire." Bobby said. "The fireplace in the library." I said and Bobby points to me. "Bingo." He said. "That's just not as appealing as a, uh, ghost-proof panic room, you know?" Dean said, sarcastically.
Sam, Dean, Bobby and I prepare to leave the panic room. "Cover each other. And aim careful. Don't run out of ammo until I'm done, or they'll shred you. Ready?" Bobby asked and we nodded.
We made our way out of the room, and head towards the stairs. A ghost sits on the stairs, a young man in his early 20s with curly hair. "Hey, Dean. You remember me?" He asked, lifted his head to show his face.
"Ronald, huh? With the laser eyes?" Dean asked, pointing to his eyes. Ronald smiles back. "I wish I could say it's good to see you." Dean said and Ronald drop his smile, standing up.
"I am dead because of you. You were supposed to help me!" Ronald yelled and Bobby shoots him, making him dissipate. "If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk." Bobby said and we headed upstairs.
We made our way to the library, I created a salt circle and Dean starts the fire. "Upstairs, linen closet... red hex box. It'll be heavy." Bobby said to Sam, who nodded. "Got it." He said and ran upstairs.
The two little girls appear in the living room. "Bobby." One of them said, Bobby turns his head and lock eyes with me. "Kitchen. Cutlery drawer. It's got a false bottom. Hemlock, opium, wormwood." He said.
"Opium?" I asked. "Go!" He ordered and I went into the kitchen. I ran over to the counter, setting my shotgun on the stove as I searching the bottom drawer. Suddenly I heard the doors close behind me.
"(Name)?" Dean called out from the library. "I'm all right, Dean! Keep working!" I said then, Henriksen appears next to me. "Victor." I muttered, looking at him stunned. "(Name)." He said, smirking at me.
"I know." I said. "No. You don't." Henriksen said. "It's my fault you're dead. I left you behind. And the minute I heard about that explosion, I thought, 'I should have known.' I should have protected you." I said, slowly reaching for my gun behind me, but it goes flying across the room.
"Unh-unh. Not so fast. You think you left and Lilith came and we all died in a beautiful blast of... white light? If only. 45 minutes." Henriksen said. "What?" I asked.
"Over 45 minutes. Lilith said she wanted to have some fun. The secretary was first. Remember her? Nancy, the virgin. Lilith filleted Nancy's skin off piece by piece. Right in front of us, made us watch. Nancy never stopped screaming." Henriksen explained and my eyes eyes widen, shocked and horrified.
"No." I whispered, ashamed. "I was the last." Henriksen said. "Victor..." I started to say, but Henriksen reaches inside my chest and grips my heart. I gasp and closed my eyes tight from the intense pain. "Tell me how it's fair. You get saved from Hell... I die. Why do you deserve another chance, (Name)?!" Henriksen asked.
I heard a gunshot and Henriksen's grip of me disappeared. I fell to the floor, panting. I open my eyes to see Sam dropping down next to me, looking at me with fear in his eyes. "You all right?" He asked. "No." I replied, placing my hand over my heart. "Let's go." Sam said, taking my hand and helping me up.
We enter the library, carrying the hex box and other ingredients. Ronald appears again as Dean is reloading his gun. "Ronald. Hey, come on, man. I thought we were pals." Dean said to the spirit. "That's when I was breathing. Now I'm gonna eat you alive." Ronald replied. "Well... come on, I'm not a cheeseburger." Dean said, cocking his gun and points it at Ronald, but Ronald has vanished.
Bobby recites some Latin words and the windows blow open and a wind fills the room. The wind moves the salt so they are no longer protected by it. Meg appears and Sam quickly shoots at her, as Bobby continues to recite the spell. Ronald appears and we shoot at him.
The boys and I continue to fire as the ghosts appear. Henriksen knocks my gun out of my hands when I was reloading, and approaches me. Dean aims and shoots Henriksen as I grabs another gun, and shoots it at Ronald, only to find it empty.
I quickly picks up an iron rod and hits at Ronald. Meg appears and pushes Sam against the wall, trapping him there with a desk. Sam tries to push the desk away without success. "Sam!" I yelled, about to go help him. "Cover Bobby!" Sam told me and I stood in front of Bobby, holding the iron rod like it's a bat.
Bobby continues to recite the spell and Sam keeps trying to get out from behind the desk. The two girls are sitting on the desk waiting. Meg plunges a hand into Bobby's back, causing him drop the bowl with spell ingredients. "Dean!" Bobby yelled and Dean catches the bowl. "Fireplace!" Bobby exclaimed.
Dean throws the bowl in the fire, which turns blue and all the ghosts disappear. Bobby falls to the ground. "Dad?" I called out, going to his side. Sam pushes the desk away, freeing himself. The boys and I help Bobby up and he nods, indicating he is okay.
Sam and I were asleep in my room, when I awoken by a sound. I open my eyes and lifted my head to see Castiel standing in my doorway. He turns and walks down the hallway.
I turn my head to see Sam is still asleep, one arm over my waist and the other under my neck. Slowly, I slip out of Sam's arms and walk out into the hallway. I look down the hall to see Castiel standing by the stain glass window. Once he sees me, he turns and walks down another hall.
I follow after the angle, downstairs where he finally stop in the kitchen, leaning against the sink. I enter the kitchen from the hallway right as Dean enters from the library, where he was sleeping. We both exchanged a look and walk over to Castiel.
"Excellent job with the witnesses." Castiel praised us. "You knew about all this?" I asked. "I was, uh, made aware." He replied. "Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance." Dean said, sarcastically. "You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest." I said, pointing to my chest, angrily.
"But you didn't." Castiel pointed out. "I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos you know, Michael Landon. Not dicks." Dean growled. "Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier." Castiel replied.
"Yeah? Then, why didn't you fight?" I asked. "I'm not here to perch on your shoulder. We had larger concerns." Castiel said. "Concerns? There were people getting torn to shreds down here! And, by the way, while all this is going on, where the hell is your boss, huh, if there is a God?" Dean asked.
"There's a God." Castiel replied. "I'm not convinced. 'Cause if there's a God, what the hell is he waiting for, huh? Genocide? Monsters roaming the earth? The freaking apocalypse? At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards that are stuck down here?" Dean asked.
"The Lord works..." Castiel started to say. "If you say 'mysterious ways,' so help me, I will kick your ass." Dean growled and Castiel held up his hands, turning his head away, and not finishing his sentence.
"So, Dad was right... about the witnesses. This is some kind of a... sign of the apocalypse." I said. "That's why we're here. Big things afoot." Castiel said. "Do we want to know what kind of things?" I asked.
"I sincerely doubt it, but you need to know. The rising of the witnesses is one of the 66 seals." Castiel said. "Okay. I'm guessing that's not a show at Seaworld." Dean said, sarcastically. "Those seals are being broken by Lilith." Castiel said.
"She did the spell. She rose the witnesses." I said and the angle nodded. "Mm-hmm. And not just here. 20 other hunters are dead." He said. "Of course. She picked victims that the hunters couldn't save so that they would barrel right after us." Dean said.
"Lilith has a certain sense of humor." Castiel said. "Well, we put those spirits back to rest." Dean said. "It doesn't matter. The seal was broken." Castiel said. "Why break the seal anyway?" I asked.
"You think of the seals as locks on a door." Castiel replied. Dean and I exchanged a look as we think. "Okay. Last one opens and..." Dean said. "Lucifer walks free." Castiel finishes, stepping away from the sink. Dean and I look at him, stunned.
"Lucifer?" I asked and the angle nodded. "But I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school. There's no such thing." Dean said. "Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me." Castiel said and Dean glances to me.
"Why do you think we're here walking among you now for the first time in 2,000 years?" Castiel asked us. "To stop Lucifer." I replied. "That's why we've arrived." Castiel said.
"Well... bang-up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses. That's nice." Dean said sarcastically, moving to lean against the counter. "Dean..." I said, warningly. I mean really doesn't sound like the best idea to piss off the angle.
"We tried. And there are other battles, other seals. Some we'll win, some we'll lose. This one we lost. Our numbers are not unlimited. Six of my brothers died in the field this week." Castiel explained and we stare at him, stunned.
Castiel glares at Dean and move to stand in front of him, an inch away from his face. "You think the armies of Heaven should just follow you around? There's a bigger picture here. You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in." Castiel threatened and he vanishes, leaving Dean and I alone in the kitchen.
I woke up back in my bed, the sun shinning in through the windows. Sam enter the room with two cup of coffee. He smiles when he sees I'm awake and sets one of the mugs down on the end table next to me.
I sat up in bed, thinking of what Castiel said, with worried. I felt the bed dip as Sam takes a seat next to me. "You all right?" He asked, but I continue staring off into nothing.
I felt Sam's hand gently take a hold of mine and I slowly turn my head to look at him. "What's wrong, (Name)?" He asked, concerned. I think for a long moment, putting the right words together in my head.
"So... You got no problem believing in... God and Angels?" I asked. "No, not really." He replied, shrugging. "So, I guess that means that you believe in the Devil." I said and Sam narrow his eyes at this. "Why are you asking me all this?"