JESSICA
It's been a few days since the trip to the zoo. We all decided to do a crash course in overcoming some of our greatest fears. They found endless amusement at the fact that I'm scared of cows. ' So we took a trip to a local dairy farm. They made me touch a cow. I almost pissed myself when I took a hesitant step toward one. She only looked at me with curiosity, but I saw a murderous gaze. I just knew she was going to trample me, but in the end she didn't. I can't believe that I touched a cow. She smelled like a barnyard, but I'm sure that's to be expected. Turns out they are quite docile creatures, and I can't believe I was ever scared of such a sweet animal. I even earned a lick up the side my cheek. It was really gross, but sweet, too. I got root beer and cotton candy flavored milk out of the deal, though, so that was cool.
The guys all did their own stuff to overcome fears, but there was one we all had that none of us would be able to overcome; the loss of a family member. I remember all too easily the emotions I felt after losing Kriss, and there's no way I would be able to go through that again. I couldn't lose another person in my life to violence. We figured, if the demon decided to use that fear against us, we would just force ourselves to remember that it isn't real.
So here we are. Gearing up for the big fight. I can tell the guys are reluctant to let me do this, much like the last time. We don't know what kind of battle ground we'll be on since we're going into her head. We've come up with a pretty good battle plan, but this huge unknown will force us to have to make last minute changes, and I'm scared that what we came up with won't work out at all.
Castiel has gone and retrieved Death's scythe from Dean and Sam, and now we're all standing around the guys' living room.
"Are we ready to do this?" Dane asks us. Leo answers with a short nod of his head.
"Fuck yes!" Sam yelled excitedly, pumping a fist in the air. Somebody's a little blood thirsty. I just grin and shake my head.
"As ready as I'll ever be. At least I know she won't be throwing cows at me like a scene from Twister." I say with a grin. The guys all laugh.
Castiel comes from the kitchen carrying four cups with the ADR mixture in it. I hope to hell this is the last time I ever have to drink this stuff, especially with demon essence in it. We all grimace as we drink down the sulfuric concoction, then settle into our chosen seats. Castiel is going to stay and watch over our unconscious bodies, and make sure no harm comes to them while we are so vulnerable. I close my eyes and settle in between Sam and Leo. It isn't long before I'm out cold.
I open my eyes and look around. Nothing but grass as far as the eye can see. We're in a giant field. There's not a tree or rock to be seen for miles. It's unsettling having this much open space around me. It's actually quite suffocating and makes me feel infinitesimal. I glance around as all my guys start appearing around me, Dane holding the scythe close to him.
"Okay. Remember we can manipulate the space, too. She set us up so we couldn't use anything in the surrounding vicinity." Leo says, looking around.
"Do any of you feel as small as I do with all this open space?" I ask, tugging the collar of my shirt away from my throat. "I feel like I'm suffocating." This was something we had talked about. Making sure we communicated things we were feeling, so we didn't have to deal with it alone.
"It sounds like you're a little agoraphobic." Dane says, coming over to me and wrapping me up in his embrace. "Just concentrate on what's in your immediate view, and try to avoid glancing out of our little circle." He runs his hands up and down my back. Locked in his embrace, my eyes closed, I start to feel better. I lean up and place a chaste kiss to the underside of his chin.
"Thanks Dane." I whisper.
"You're very welcome, Snow."
"Aww. Isn't this a sweet moment? Taking a minute for some loving before you all die?" Dane stiffens in my embrace at the sneered words. We release each other and Dane turns to glare at her.
"The only one dying today is you." Dane replies as he looks at the scythe twirling in his hands. He moves his glance up to give her a cocky look. Sam and Leo move to flank us, a show of solidarity. She cackles as she takes us in, throwing her head back with unfeigned mirth.
"Such a cocky, puny human. I'm going to enjoy destroying all of you." She says, then straightens her arm and holds a hand out. Okay. I guess the posturing part is over. A powerful burst of light leaves her hand and rushes toward us, and we all fly in different directions to get out of the way. I end up landing on top of Sam, which he reverses our positions quickly so he is blocking me from the action, his back to her.
"You can't keep me out of this, Sam. Now, move." I tell him as I attempt to physically move him, as futile as it is. He gives me one last look and an expression I can't read, then turns to see what's happening.
I don't watch. We need some things to be able to hide behind if we're going to be any kind of effective. I close my eyes and will boulders to form, and a few trees. When I open my eyes, the immediate vicinity is riddled with boulders and trees. I smile to myself, my chest puffing out a little with pride. I just changed her battle plan.
Only a few seconds had gone by, but it seemed like hours. I finally pay attention to what's happening. She is firing light ball after light ball at the guys. Dane ended up summoning a sword that he is expertly handling, the scythe bouncing at his hip, blocking all the light balls she's throwing at him. Sam and Leo both summoned shields they are hiding behind. She isn't paying me any attention, so I run on the softest feet I have ever ran on and jump on her back. I immediately wrap an arm around her throat and pull her head back by her hair with my other arm, at the same time wrapping my legs around her waist.
She lets out a fierce shriek, and her arms scramble over me as she attempts to grab me. She gets ahold of my shirt and yanks, but it doesn't move me at all. She just manages to rip it. I squeeze my arm harder against her windpipe, trying to cut off her breath.
"Stupid girl. I don't breath." She says as she finally manages to get ahold of me. She flings me over her head and I land on my back with a hard bounce, an audible "oof" escapes my lips as all of the air is knocked out of me. Pain radiates throughout my body as I struggle to catch a breath. I curl into a ball on my side.
"Jessica!" Leo yells, then he's next to me in an instant. "How bad is it?"
"Need... air... can't... breathe." I say in between gasps. He helps me sit up.
"Okay, you didn't really lose your breath, it's your diaphragm that took a hit. Take a few deep breaths in and it should be better in a minute." He glances around the whole time he talks me through getting myself back together. After a few moments, breathing becomes easier.
"Thanks Leo." I say, and pat him on the shoulder.
We both stand and take in the scene. Sam is going at it with her MMA style. He just hit her with a roundhouse kick to her chest, which sends her flying back. He lands back smoothly, facing her again in a defensive position. He rocks on his feet back and forth, arms held loosely in front of him, hands balled into fists. He's waiting for her next move.
I run over ot the forgotten Dane. When I reach his side I unhook the scythe. We had thought ahead and attached a strap to it that I could fit it around my wrist so I wouldn't lose it in the fight. I do so now, gripping the handle of the scythe hard.
When I whirl around to face her again, she's advancing on Sam, hands down at her sides, glowing brightly. She starts flinging fireballs at him. SInce he doesn't have his shield, he runs and hides behind a tree, which she starts blowing up. It doesn't take long before the bark catches fire, and Sam comes running out from behind it, cradling his arm close to his body. He dives for his discarded shield, but doesn't make it in time. A fireball crashes into his back. He flies forward, landing hard on his front, and doesn't move again. The smell of burnt flesh permeates the air. I cry out and run to him while Dane draws her attention. I pull off my tattered shirt and attempt to get his skin to stop burning, uncaring that I'm in nothing but my bra. I tear his shirt open, and start lightly patting his back with my shirt with one hand while I brush my other over the top of his head. Leo comes over and kneels next to me taking in the damage done to his back. Sam groans and tries to get up. I try to help him, but I'm not strong enough, so Leo takes over.
When we get Sam situated behind a large boulder, Leo take his shirt off and hands it to me, seemingly looking everywhere but at me. I take it gratefully and pull it over my head. Once covered, he looks at me again.
"You aren't hurt, right?" He asks me.
"No. I'm not hurt." I say with a shake of my head. I peek around the boulder and Dane is sword fighting with her, keeping her occupied.
I grip the handle of the scythe and run out from behind the boulder. My plan it to take her by surprise and maybe I can just end it now and nobody else has to get hurt. I briefly get Dane's attention and give him a 'keep going' motion with my hand. I stalk behind her, scythe raised near my shoulder. When I get nearer, I hold the scythe up, the outside curve against my shoulder. I swing out, attempting to cut her head off, but she moves at the last second to avoid a swing from Dane and I only nick her shoulder.
She turns toward me, her own sword raised to strike out at me, but I lift the scythe and use it to block her hit. She pushes forward, and it's all I can do to push back and not land on my ass. I will myself extra strength and am rewarded when I push harder and she takes a few steps back. Dane raises his sword and lashes down, effectively slicing into her already injured shoulder.
She cries out in pain, then disappears. Dumbfounded, I look at Dane. Leo comes running over.
"What the hell just happened?" He asks us.
"I have no fucking idea." I respond. "Good hit, though, Dane. How's Sam?"
"He'll be fine. It was a powerful hit, though." He says as he runs a hand through his short hair.
"So what do we do now? Wait for the bitch to show back up?"
"I guess so, but we need to be on top of everything so she doesn't surprise us." Dane answers.
I move to go see how Sam is doing. As I round the curve of it a flash of red catches my eye, and I'm immediately thrown back. My arms and legs flail as I fly through the air. I land hard on my ass and bounce a couple of times before coming to rest about twenty feet away.
"Snow!"
"Bear!"
"Bitch!" I yell out as I scramble to my feet.
I look to where she is standing. The shoulder wound is nasty. The flesh is gaping wide open, nearly a foot long, and seeping blood everywhere. You can see bone and sinew through all the blood, and it takes everything i have not to gag at the sight. Her sword is hanging limply on the uninjured side.
I run at her, screaming like a banshee, scythe raised as I will a sword to my other hand. My hand drops slightly at the new weight, but I'm easily able to wield it. I raise the sword up as I near her and take a massive swing. She blocks it with her own sword, and I swing out with the scythe, which she dodges. Dane and Leo are suddenly next to me with their own swords, taking turns lashing at her with them.
Soon she's covered in deep lashes and she's swaying on her feet. I take the scythe and cut gashes into her skin.
"These are for every life you took." I gasp out. "And this is for fucking with me to begin with." She sways forward at the same time I grip the scythe, swinging up. It enters her stomach and hooks up through her heart, exiting through her sternum. I rip the scythe out of her body and she falls to the ground unceremoniously. I step back so she won't land on me.
I double over, trying to catch my breath and drop my weapons to the ground. I can't believe she's finally dead. I stand back up and see that Sam has joined us, although he's relying heavily on the boulder to stay standing. I take in all three of them, with their huge grins, and I can't help but grin back.
"We did it." I say, still a little out of breath.
"You did it, Baby Girl." Sam says, pain evident in his voice.
"I never would have been able to do it without you three." I correct. "This was a team effort. Let's go home." I say, moving toward Sam, and Dane and Leo move with me. I close my eyes.
When I open them again I'm sandwiched between Sam and Leo on the guys' very comfortable couch. The guys stir a few minutes later. I hastily check Sam's back, but everything is as it should be.
"Well, it's a good thing the only thing that's permanent in that world is death." Sam chuckles.
"I take it everything went well?" Castiel asks. I look at the guys with a face splitting smile.
"If by 'well' you mean the bitch is dead, then, yeah, everything went really well." I answer him.
Leo lets out a huge whoop, then I'm being lifted into the air and swung around. I wrap my arms around his neck and hang on for the ride.
"C'mon! We need to go celebrate!" Dane hollers over the cacophony in the room.
A/N: There's only 2 chapters left for this book. The celebration, and the epilogue, which will give us the start of the story for Book 2.