THEN
From 12.15 "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell", in Crowley's throne room, Crowley snapped his fingers. Lucifer's light went out, and his wings disappeared. Each time Crowley snapped his fingers caused Lucifer more pain and made him fall to his knees.
Crowley: (voice over from 12.15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell) "This vessel has been warded with runes and spellwork from the Cage."
Crowley sat in his throne, looking at Lucifer. "I own you."
From 12.15 "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell", in the Bunker, Levi and Sabrina were talking.
"We already know that Kelly Kline's with Dagon, Prince of Hell, and that Dagon protected Kelly from Angels that tried to kill her," Levi told her.
"Demons and Angels have armies backing them up searching the globe for Kelly and Dagon, and all we have is my family, you and me," Sabrina told him.
"That's why the Angels came to me," Levi told her. "They said that they want to help us. They want me to go to Heaven. If we have the Angels' help, maybe we can find Kelly faster than we think. I'm not talking about killing her. I'm just talking about using the Angels to find Kelly. Once I know where she is, I'll get away from the Angels, and I'll come here to tell all of you."
"You come back unharmed, or I'm gonna unleash Hell on anyone that hurts you," Sabrina told him.
Levi smiled, nodding. "I'll be fine, Sabrina."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the temporary base, Brandon looked at Amara, Catty, Dean, Ness and Sam, talking about him and Mick. "We both did extensive research at Kendrick's. It's like our..."
"Hogwarts?" Amara asked.
Brandon nodded to Amara. "Exactly."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the hospital hallway, Brandon and Amara were talking.
"I'm not the only one that grew up too fast," Amara told him. "Wasn't talking about just my cousins. My parents, Aunt, Catty, Uncle Sam, they had to grow up too fast, mentally and physically. So did you, Brandon, it appears."
Brandon looked at Amara, nodding, looking away. "Yeah. I guess you could say that."
From 12.14 "The Raid", in the temporary base, there flashes of the family, the British Men of Letters including Brandon, and Levi killing the Vampires.
Sam: (voice over from 12.16 Ladies Drink Free) "We're working with these people now, and we're getting wins."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the hallway of the temporary base, Sam looked at Dean, Ness, Catty and Amara. "The better they are, the better we are."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the hospital, Mick injected Hayden in the heart with the drug, killing her, although he hated doing it, overcome with guilt.
Brandon: (voice over from 12.16 Ladies Drink Free) "So you killed her, and you didn't tell me."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", outside the bar, Mick looked at Sam, Dean and Brandon. "I had orders."
"You had a choice," Dean told him.
"You know we're right, Brandon," Sam told him. "You helped save us more than once, and you even apologized to Ness and Amara about what your people did to them and Ava, that no one else in your organization was going to apologize for, but you did. And why did you?"
"Because I wanted to do the right thing," Brandon answered. "But we have a Code. And anyone who breaks the Code... their punishment is death at the hands of the old men."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the wolf house, Brandon and Mick shot Connor and Justin to save Sam's life, and helped cure Amara, Sage and Claire from being Werewolves.
Faith: (voice over from 12.16 Ladies Drink Free) "We'll give you another chance. Since you saved Dad's life. You helped save Amara, Sage and Claire. And you're letting Sage live. Even though knowing she doesn't have a soul."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", outside the lodge, Ariel looked at Brandon and Mick. "Just don't mess it up. There won't be another chance."
"Understood," Brandon told them.
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the parking lot, Octavia looked at Kelvin. "Is he really in Heaven? Is Levi alive?"
"Oh, he's fine," Kelvin answered. "In fact, we need him alive, and we can't hurt him." The Angels all stepped out of hiding, surrounding them, holding Angel Blades. "Just like Levi, we need you alive. Now, Levi's not gonna be hurt. But you are."
"Whatever you do, even if you do hurt Levi, he's not gonna let you get to Sabrina, Ariel and Faith, and neither am I," Octavia told them. "We would both die before we let anyone harm them."
"We're not trying to harm them, Octavia," Kelvin told her.
There were flashes of Octavia fighting the Angels to defend herself, until she got handcuffed with Enochian warded cuffs. Octavia glared at them angrily, struggling but couldn't get free.
Kelvin: (voice over from 12.16 Ladies Drink Free) "And we're not going to do anything to them. And neither is Levi. You are."
From 12.16 "Ladies Drink Free", in the Bunker, the family, minus Octavia, was talking.
"Ava's still alive?" Ness asked.
"Somewhere," Castiel answered. "We just don't know where."
Ariel and Faith stood. Sam embraced. They held each other close in worry and desperation.
Sam: (voice over from 12.16 Ladies Drink Free) "We're gonna find her. We're gonna find Ava."
NOW
§
Flashback - 2008
Outside London, England
Kendrick's Academy - Outside
Two very young school boys approached the stairs, dressed in long robes. One of them was Young Brandon Davies. The other boy was named Timothy.
"What do you think she wants?" Timothy asked.
Young Brandon sighed. "Nothing good."
§
Inside
Timothy and Young Brandon walked inside.
"Going home for Christmas?" Timothy asked. Young Brandon gave him a look. "Sorry. I forgot. The only home you and your father have is here."
Young Brandon sighed. "I'll be here, as always."
A woman they called Headmistress or Dr. Hess walked down the hallway toward them. "Gentlemen."
Timothy and Young Brandon nodded. "Headmistress."
"Come with me," Hess told them.
The two boys nodded, following Hess down the corridor.
§
Hess' Office
Hess led Young Brandon and Timothy into the room. They noticed that a section of the floor was covered with plastic. Young Brandon closed the door.
"Timothy, Brandon, you have both conquered many trials here at Kendrick's, either through natural talent or good old-fashioned hard work," Hess told them. "But today, today we'll learn which of you matriculates to the next level of training. This organization does important work, gentlemen. Work which allows millions of people to sleep safely in their beds at night. But in order to do this work, to protect those people, we need cadets who will employ their skills and execute orders without question. And, so..." She walked toward the table, opening a piece of cloth to reveal a knife. "Only one of you will be leaving this room. Good luck."
Hess left the room. Timothy and Young Brandon looked at each other nervously, looking at the knife.
§
Hallway
Young Brandon walked toward the corridor toward Dr. Hess, splattered with blood, both his own blood and Timothy's.
"You both fought well," Hess told him. "Neither of you wanted to die. Yet the Code demands otherwise. Well played, Mr. Davies."
The knife was covered in blood, still in Young Brandon's bloodstained hand, who looked traumatized but didn't allow Hess to see weakness in him, knowing that she would turn on him as well.
§
Now
Day One
Night - Men of Letters Temporary Base - Conference Room
Brandon had fallen asleep at the table, gasping awake from the nightmare, sitting up, looking around the conference room to have to remind himself where he was, taking a deep unsettling breath to calm down, lowering his head.
§ Worlds Colliding (Supernatural) §
The Bunker - Library
The family minus Octavia was talking in the library with Aiden at the tables.
"All right, so we've tried calling Levi about Ava being missing and taken by Angels," Catty told them. "Of course, Levi doesn't have the best phone connection up in Heaven."
"Yeah, after with what happened with Aunt Ava," Amara told them. "Levi shouldn't be up there in Heaven right now."
"I'm about to zap up to Heaven and taking Levi right out of Heaven," Sabrina told them. "And bringing him here so that at least we know he's safe."
"Sabrina, with the Gates of Heaven closed, you know you can't just 'zap' up to Heaven from here," Castiel told her. "You'd have to go through the sandbox."
"Sandbox?" Ariel repeated. "Is that the portal to Heaven?"
"Yeah," Sam answered. "And with the way things are going, the Angels won't let Sabrina used the portal to get to Heaven to get to Levi."
"Can somebody please tell me that we have good news?" Faith asked. "We don't know where Mom is. We don't know if Levi is okay."
"We can't find Mom, which is so incredibly frustration and worrying," Ariel told them.
"Not sure if we got good news," Dean told them. "But Ness has got some news. Tell them, Nessie."
"All right, so after we talked to Eileen, the deaf hunter that you met on the Banshee hunt, she went back to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho," Ness explained. "The last place anybody saw Kelly Kline go. She said that she would take a look while we're looking for Ava and trying to get a hold of Levi."
Sam was just as frustrated and worried as Ariel and Faith were, but knew they couldn't do much about it then. "Hmm? And?"
"And turns out, right after she left, somebody burned down an old warehouse," Ness answered. "I did some digging." She pulled up the information on her laptop to show them pictures of the warehouse, Kelly and Dagon. "Check this out."
"What are those?" Amara asked. "Security shots?"
"Yeah," Dean answered. "There's Kelly going in."
"Wow," Sabrina told them.
"Nice work, Nessie," Dean told her.
"Thank you," Ness told them.
"So, this chick with her?" Catty asked. "That Pat Benatar wannabe?"
"That's Dagon," Castiel answered. "That's the same vessel Ava, Ariel, Faith, Sabrina, Levi and I saw before on video."
Sabrina, Ariel and Faith nodded in agreement. "Yeah."
"Awesome," Amara told them sarcastically. "Okay, so..."
"So, Kelly and Dagon go crash this place, and then it gets torched," Castiel told them. "Coincidence?"
"No," Dean answered.
"Hell, no," Catty answered.
"All right, well, what are we looking at here?" Sam asked.
"Working on it," Ness told them. "Also working on trying to figure out where the Angels took Ava."
"And when Aunt Ness is on it, you know she gets it done," Ariel told them.
They chuckled.
"Just please, please let there be a sign that Levi and Mom are okay," Faith told them.
"Just saying, guys, even with Levi trying to use the Angels to find Kelly, and every hunter we know working this, we still got basically nothing on Kelly," Sam told them. "We got nothing on where Ava is. At least, you know, maybe Crowley--"
"No, dude, we're not calling Crowley," Dean told him.
"Sam, I know you and Ariel and Faith are desperate to find Ava, and so are we," Catty told him.
"Crowley wouldn't care if Aunt Ava was missing again," Sabrina told them. "Or that Levi's in danger of the Angels again."
"Catty and Sabrina are right," Castiel told them. "Crowley's not the answer."
"Then what is, Uncle Cas?" Faith asked.
"What's gonna tell us if Mom and Levi are okay?" Ariel asked.
"We could try and call Mick and Brandon for help," Amara suggested.
Sabrina looked as if she was about to say something before she sensed something. "Mick and Brandon Davies are coming in in 3, 2, 1."
There was a knock on the door upstairs before it opened and Mick and Brandon walked inside. The family looked at Sabrina in surprise, impressed. Sabrina shrugged.
"Hello, all," Brandon told them, showing them a bottle of Scotch. "Care for a drink?"
"That booze almost makes up for the fact that you came in a second after you knocked," Dean told them.
"Well, I always bring a peace offering," Brandon told them. "Ask Ness and Amara. I brought the same bottle before when I came to apologize to them about what happened with their and your 'Ava's torture. And Toni Bevell leaving Ariel, Faith and Aiden here unprotected while Ariel and Faith were still babies. And Amara's..."
Brandon didn't finish because he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. They nodded.
"How did you get into our house?" Amara asked.
"Our house," Mick told them. "Men of Letters. Did you know your key opens every chapterhouse in the world?" They gave him a look. "Well, you did say you'd give us another chance."
"Yeah, that doesn't mean we wanna hang out," Ariel told them.
"You here for a reason?" Catty asked.
"We are, and it's a bit urgent," Mick answered. "Some time ago, the home office recorded some sort of cosmic shock wave. Very rare. And after a few months of--"
"Archangel Nephilim," Sabrina told them.
"You knew?" Brandon asked.
"Yeah, we knew," Ariel answered.
"How?" Brandon asked.
"Sort of a long story," Amara told them.
"Well, we've got time," Brandon told them.
"Well, Lucifer jacked the President, and then knocked up his girlfriend," Faith told them.
"And now, she is on the run with Dagon, who is a Prince of Hell," Ness added.
"I see," Mick told them. "And you didn't tell us this because..."
"'Cause it's a need to know kind of them," Faith told them.
Mick gave them an agitated look. "The Devil is having... two children. It seems like something we'd need to know. Where is the woman now?"
"Not sure," Sabrina told them.
"We had her," Sam told them. "Tried to help her, but, uh, when Catty, Dean and I got arrested..."
"Secret Service guys blasted Sabrina, Levi and Uncle Cas away," Amara explained. "And Kelly was able to get away."
"Yeah," Castiel agreed. "Otherwise, she would have still been with us."
"I'm sorry," Mick told them. "You... you had her? And you let her live?"
"Look, it's not Kelly's fault, okay?" Dean asked. "She didn't know Lucifer was her boyfriend."
Brandon nodded. "Oh, sure, yeah. It could happen to anyone."
"Plus, she'd agreed to end the pregnancy," Ness told them. "And I guess she changed her mind."
"Even with everything Kelly knew, they were still her kids," Catty told them. "She couldn't."
"Then you should have," Mick told them. "You should've shot her between her eyes immediately."
"Oh, why?" Sabrina asked. "'Cause that's what you would've done?"
"Kind of like you killed that Werewolf?" Faith asked. "'Cause from what I remember, really messed you up."
Ariel looked from Brandon to Mick. "Yeah, 'cause you're both so big on second chances and all."
Brandon looked like he didn't like the idea of this. "Yeah, yes. I'm not saying it was gonna be easy, but the Code demands it."
Amara nodded sarcastically. "Oh, the Code. God, Brandon, you can't even convince yourself anymore, can you?"
"This is not some Werewolf," Mick told them. "Do--do you have any idea what will happen if this abomination is born?"
"Mick, we're handling it, all right?" Ariel asked in annoyance. "We'll find her, but we're kind have got a full plate here."
Dean took the bottle of Scotch from Brandon. "So, until then, I say we drink, because we could all use it. And hell of a peace offering, Brandon."
"Where is your 'Ava' and Levi?" Brandon asked.
"That's why we have a full plate," Catty told them. "Uh, and it's complicated."
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "Ava was supposed to come back home, but she was intercepted by Angels."
"Mom hasn't been heard from since," Faith told them. "And she's been warded to the point where Ariel, Sow and I can't find her."
"And Levi's still in Heaven," Sabrina told them. "Trying to track down Kelly with Angels that we don't trust, especially after what just happened."
"Yeah," Amara agreed. "Levi's trying to use the same people that took Aunt Ava to try to find Kelly."
"Of course, Levi doesn't know that Ava's missing yet," Ness told them. "He went up there before she was taken."
"Now we're having trouble contacting Levi," Castiel told them. "And trouble finding Ava."
Brandon and Mick were stunned by all of this.
"If there's anything we can do to help..." Brandon trailed off.
The family all nodded, still worried.
§
Crowley's Asylum - Locked Room
Lucifer was still chained up, whispering. "Dagon. Dagon, you hear me?"
Dagon was in a hotel room, hearing him telepathically. "I do, sire."
"News of my sons, all is well?" Lucifer asked.
"As can be expected," Dagon answered.
"And the, uh, container?" Lucifer asked.
Dagon looked toward where Kelly was sleeping. "She should last as long as needed."
"Well, she better," Lucifer told her. "Don't fail me, Dagon. Not again."
Dagon looked anxious.
§
The Bunker - Guest Bedroom
Brandon was sleeping in one of the many empty rooms of the Bunker as a guest bedroom, having another nightmare of that day in Kendrick's.
§
Flashback
Day - Kendrick's Academy - Hess' Office
Young Brandon was looking out of the office. "Timothy, no one's out there. If we run, we might not get caught. We can go to my father. He'll--"
"Close the door, Brandon," Timothy told him.
Young Brandon closed the door.
Hess: (voice over) "We need cadets who will execute orders without question."
Young Brandon noticed that Timothy was still looking at the knife. "Tim, we have to go."
Hess: (voice over) "Only one of you will be leaving this room."
Timothy slowly picked up the knife. "Brandon..." Young Brandon sighed anxiously, betrayed at the fact that his best friend was trying to kill him because of the Code. "Brandon, I'm sorry."
Timothy lunged for Young Brandon to try to kill him, but as seen later, Young Brandon had been able to defend himself but had to kill to survive.
§
Now
Night - The Bunker - Guest Bedroom
Brandon woke up from the nightmare, shaken but annoyed, sitting up, sighing.
Amara had been getting water from the kitchen, on her way back to her room when she saw Brandon from the hall, pausing. "Brandon?" Brandon looked up, sighing, running a hand through his hair to calm down. "You okay?"
Brandon sighed. "Yeah."
"Another thing you can't seem to convince yourself of," Amara told him. "I know the look of when someone's had crushing nightmares. I have them all the time."
Brandon managed a chuckle, without humor. "Yeah. Takes a nightmare-victim to know one, I guess. I can say that I know yours are worse than mine, given the Darkness, Amara. But..."
Amara sighed, walking in. "Nightmares are nightmares. It doesn't matter what's worse. You wanna talk about it? I didn't talk about mine for a long time, and it destroyed me. I'm guessing you've had nightmares a lot longer than I have, considering you've technically been around longer than I have. And I doubt you're one to share."
"Not exactly," Brandon agreed. "But I guess you were right before, Amara. About me not being able to convince myself that the Code is just. I'm not sure if I've ever been able to convince myself that."
"Then why are you still with them?" Amara asked.
"The only way out is death," Brandon answered. "Anyone who wants out, anyone who breaks the Code... their punishment is death."
Amara was surprised and concerned to hear this, nodding in understanding and sympathy. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" Brandon asked. "Why do you care, Amara?"
"Because I told you before, Brandon," Amara answered. "You're not like them. You're better. You proved that when you helped save me, Claire and Sage from being Werewolves instead of killing us. And you proved that when you let Sage go, even while knowing she doesn't have a soul. And that wasn't the first time you've saved me. Or my family. And the second we told you about Aunt Ava being taken by Angels, and Levi risking his life to use the Angels to find Kelly, the first thing you said was 'how can I help?'. Whatever those Brit bitches hardwired you with, you're better than that, Brandon."
Brandon chuckled more convincingly this time, nodding. "Thanks, Amara."
"You want some water?" Amara asked.
"Sure," Brandon answered, managing a small smile.
Amara chuckled, taking his hand, which surprised but amused him. "Come on."
Amara and Brandon stood, walking out of the room.
§
Kitchen
Amara was getting water for her and Brandon, handing him a glass. "Here. A trick that helped me try to control the nightmares. At least for a little while, anyway."
They smiled small smiles, clinking their glasses, drinking.
§
Hallway
Mick looked into the kitchen to see Amara and Brandon, noticing how much closer they were getting, sighing, looking content, smiling a little. His phone rang. He answered his phone. "What?"
Hess was in her office. "You didn't report in last night, Mr. Davies. Is there a reason?"
Mick seemed to be getting over being drunk. "No, ma'am. No, Brandon and I were still in investigation mode. I was gonna inform you."
"And the Winchesters?" Hess asked.
"Making some progress," Mick answered.
A man knocked on Hess' office door.
"Come in, Mr. Rawlings," Hess told him. She spoke to Mick over phone. "You and Brandon are aware that Lady Bevell feels that they are hopeless, Mr. Davies?"
"Brandon and I are the ones cleaning up her mess," Mick told her. "Dr. Hess, the last we heard, you and the rest of the leadership felt getting the Winchesters was key to bringing the American hunters on board. We're just trying to make that happen."
"Yes, well, things change," Hess told him.
"And that means?" Mick asked.
"These Nephilim," Hess told him. "More than just Ariel and Faith Winchester. Something big and bad is on its way, Mr. Davies. We need the situation in America settled now."
"What?" Mick asked. "I don't understand."
"Then let me make it blisteringly simple," Hess told him. "We don't have time to court a handful of mangy Colonials. Not anymore. So either the Winchesters and the rest of their ill bred lot learn to obey, or we turn them over to a new asset we've acquired, once we get through to her, and start fresh."
Mick shook his head, not knowing what she meant by 'new asset', but was horrified that she wanted to kill them. "Look, I don't think--"
"This is not a discussion," Hess told him. "It's an order. Are you hearing me, Michael? Assimilate or eliminate."
Hess hung up, leaving Mick looking horrified.
§
Day Two
Morning - House - Living Room
Kelly was struggling to sit up, breathing heavily.
Dagon was holding a glass of orange juice and a plate of food. "Do you need a pillow or whatever?" When Kelly groaned in pain, Dagon put the glass and plate down. "What's wrong?"
"I keep getting these weird little pains," Kelly answered.
"I'm sure everything's fine," Dagon told her.
"Why?" Kelly asked. "Because this is how you felt all the times you were pregnant?" Dagon turned to give her a look. "I need to see a doctor."
"No doctor will understand these kids," Dagon told her. "You barely do. We've been here too long. We should go."
"No," Kelly told her. "You said that you would help me. I wanna see a doctor. I'm not going anywhere until I know my babies are safe."
Dagon sighed.
§
The Bunker - Kitchen
Dean was dozing in and out of consciousness at the table. Amara was feeding Aiden his food. Ness was cooking. Sabrina, Castiel and Catty were sitting nearby.
Aiden frowned at Dean. "Dad look bad."
"Yeah, well, Dad feels badder, Aiden," Dean told him. Sam, Ariel and Faith walked in. "I gotta hand it to Mick. Man, you get him started, that guy can drink. I mean, we can drink, but he's got, like, the Can Drink gold metal."
"Hey, you talk to Grandma Mary lately?" Ariel asked. "See if she's heard about Mom?"
Mick and Brandon walked in.
"Oh, shouldn't worry about Mary," Mick told them. "Her and Ketch make quite the team."
"Would you want your mom working with him?" Sam asked.
"Well, I can't say," Mick told them. "I never really knew my mom. Or my dad. I was on the streets till the Men of Letters found me."
"How did they find you?" Castiel asked.
"I, uh, picked a member's pocket," Mick answered. "Not on purpose, I was just after a couple of quid, but I got a cursed coin from Ancient Babylon instead."
"Yeah, sure, that could happen to anyone," Faith told them sarcastically.
Sam chuckled.
"The Men of Letters decided I showed promise, and signed me up," Mick continued. "They gave me a life. I met Brandon's mother in the academy."
"What happened to her?" Ness asked.
"She died... while giving birth to me," Brandon answered sadly.
The family was surprised and a little sad to hear this.
"I'm sorry, Brandon," Amara told him.
Brandon nodded, gazing off.
"You all right?" Catty asked.
Brandon tried to shake off the sadness of the moment. "Yeah. Always." He picked up his glass of tomato juice. "Got anything stronger?"
Sabrina chuckled. "Yeah. After our last few hellish days, I could use something stronger, too."
Castiel and Catty gave her a look. "Sabrina."
Sabrina shrugged. "Just saying."
Amara, Ariel and Faith smirked. Sam and Ness chuckled. Dean groaned, resting his head on the table.
§
Doctor's Office
A doctor walked in to join Kelly and Dagon, seeing that Kelly was laying down on the bed. "Hello. You must be Kelly." He looked at Dagon. "And you're her... partner?"
"No," Dagon answered.
"Birth coach?" the doctor asked.
Dagon shrugged. "Sure."
"Well, Kelly's vitals and preliminary labs were great," the doctor told them. "So we're just gonna do a quick sonogram."
"Is that really necessary?" Dagon asked.
"Of course it is," Kelly answered.
"Want the babies to be happy campers," the doctor told them. He gestured for Dagon to step away to give him room. "Right over here. Okay, Kelly. Just lift up there, please." Kelly lifted up her shirt. "Thank you. I'm gonna put a little bit of gel on the camera, so it might be a little bit cold." The doctor prepared the sonogram. "Okay, say cheese."
Dagon rolled her eyes. "Cheese."
The doctor put the camera/wand on Kelly's stomach to check on the babies. "Okay. Uh-uh. Ah, it's looking good." He noticed something on the sonogram. "Oh, hmm."
"What?" Kelly asked worriedly.
Dagon let her eyes turn yellow, telepathically mind controlling the doctor. "Everything looks a-okay."
The doctor looked at Kelly. "Everything looks a-okay."
"See, Kelly?" Dagon asked. "Your babies are little Angels, just like I've been saying."
Kelly gave Dagon a look for the half-literal comment. Dagon smirked slyly, smugly.
"Now I know this can be a little awkward, but for the little champs' medical records, what can you tell me about their father?" the doctor asked.
Kelly and Dagon just stared at the doctor, not saying anything.
§
Crowley's Asylum - Locked Room
Lucifer was still chained up to his chair.
Crowley was pacing. "How the mighty have fallen, eh? Good puppy." He petted Lucifer's hair, throwing a ball. "Puppy want to play?" Lucifer said nothing. Crowley patted Lucifer on the cheek. "What's the matter?" Lucifer got up, shuffled forward, his chains rattling, kneeling to the floor, starting to lick the floor. "What are you doing?"
Lucifer looked up at Crowley. "I'm giving you what you want. Submission."
"Why?" Crowley asked.
"Why not?" Lucifer replied. "I figured out the rules of the house, and... well, all things considered, think I'd rather be here than rotting in the Cage with my drooling, insane--and not in a fun way--little bro Michael."
"Really?" Crowley asked.
Lucifer nodded. "Yes. It's your game, your rules, so, uh... I figure I can work with that. You win. What now... sire?"
Crowley was suspicious, but smirked.
§
Men of Letters Temporary Base - Hallway
Mick was walking down the corridor, answering his phone. "Ketch."
"Quick update," Ketch told him. He was in a motel room with Mary, who was killing a gun and packing a bag. "The skels turned out to be Shapeshifters. Killed a clan of seven."
"Eight," Mary corrected.
"Eight, she says," Ketch repeated. "I've learned not to argue. Um, you'll make with the typey, typey, yes?"
"I'll file the report," Mick answered.
"Splendid," Ketch told him. "Ciao."
They hung up. Mick sighed, walking down the hall.
§
Motel Room
Ketch sat down, pouring drinks for him and Mary.
"So, you been longtime friends with Mick and Brandon?" Mary asked.
"More... survivors than friends," Ketch answered. "Mick and I were in school together. We would later teach what we had been taught to kids like Brandon in later years."
Mary nodded in understanding. "Ah. Major in murder, minor in mayhem?"
Ketch smirked. "Mm, yeah." He took a drink. "I gather your training was a bit more... improvisational?"
"We learned on the job," Mary answered.
"And then you gave it all up," Ketch told her.
Mary nodded. "I wanted a quiet, normal life."
"Mm, and yet, there you were, up to your elbows in Shifter guts," Ketch told her. "Mrs. Winchester, I believe you're drawn to danger." He handed Mary a glass of whiskey. "Cheers."
They clinked glasses, drinking.
§
Men of Letters Temporary Base - Conference Room
Mick and Brandon were sitting at the table. They heard the door opening. Brandon stood, turning toward the door, drawing his gun, aiming.
Mr. Rawlings from Hess' office walked in. "Sorry to interrupt. There's really no need for that, Brandon."
"We know each other?" Brandon asked.
"I'm Renny Rawlings," Renny told them. "I've been working directly for Dr. Hess since I graduated Kendrick's. Top of my class."
Brandon rolled his eyes. "I don't care."
Mick gave him a look. "Brandon." Brandon looked from Mick to Renny, but didn't lower his gun. Mick looked at Renny. "Cheers. What do you want?"
"Dr. Hess sent me on the overnight," Renny explained. "Thought you could use an extra set of hands."
"Oh, to put it another way, you're her lapdog," Brandon told him. "Here to keep an eye on me and my dad."
"Brandon," Mick warned.
"I'm here to help," Renny told them.
"You want to help?" Brandon asked. "Stay out of my way."
Renny shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not an option."
Brandon rolled his eyes, finally lowering his gun, walking away. Mick sighed.
§
Doctor's Office
A man walked into the doctor's office.
The doctor was looking at Kelly's babies' sonograms. "Sorry, we're closed for the day."
"Those your patient files?" the man asked.
"My patient history is none of your business," the doctor told him.
The man pulled a knife out, slashing the doctor's throat.
§
On the Road
Castiel, Ariel, Faith and Sabrina were standing on the road, looking for Octavia.
Sabrina was trying to make a call. "Come on, Levi. I've called you three times now. Will you call me back? I'm about to go down to the damn sandbox and take the portal to Heaven."
Sabrina hung up, sighing.
"Sow, Levi's fine," Ariel told her.
"You don't know that, Ariel," Sabrina told her. "Not after what happened to Aunt Ava."
"If Levi was dead, wouldn't you know it?" Faith asked. "I mean, you are part Reaper, Sow. Which is why you know that Mom's not dead, either."
"Sabrina's more worried that the Angels are using Levi to get to the three of you," Castiel explained. "Like with Ava."
"Well, what do we do?" Ariel asked. "I mean, if Mom and Levi are up there--"
"Ava's not up there with Levi," Castiel told them. "We'd know if she was."
Sabrina's phone rang. She saw that it was Levi calling, sighing in utter relief, answering immediately. "Levi, thank God."
"What the hell took him so long to call back?" Faith asked.
Levi was standing next to the sandbox/portal to Heaven. "Tell Faith I heard that, Sabrina. And I just now left Heaven. Remember that we don't get cellphone service upstairs. I barely had time to check my messages. Angels are gonna be expecting me back upstairs in a few minutes."
"No, Levi, get out of there now," Sabrina told him.
"Why?" Levi asked. "What's wrong?"
"Ava was taken by Angels," Castiel answered. "They took her. They've warded Ava to where Sabrina, Ariel and Faith can't track her."
"Yeah, and we don't know if they're gonna do something bad to you, too," Ariel added. "So Sabrina's gonna go to the sandbox and pick you up. And then we can figure things out."
Levi was worried about the news of Ava being missing, sighing. "No. Sabrina... You can't come get me. Not yet."
"What?" Faith asked. "Why not? Are you crazy? He's crazy."
"Just trust me," Levi told them.
"We trust you, Levi," Ariel told him. "But we don't trust them."
Sabrina disappeared.
Castiel knew where she was going, sighing. "Sow!"
§
The Sandbox
Sabrina appeared behind Levi, walking toward him worriedly. "What if they hurt you?"
Levi hung up his phone, turning to face her. "They haven't hurt me. At all."
"That's not saying that they won't," Sabrina told him. "Aunt Ava is missing, Levi. What they did to her, they could do to you."
"Sabrina, the Angels hate Ava a lot more than they've ever hated me," Levi told her. "They could have taken Ava for any number of reasons. Reasons that they won't have to hurt me."
"You expect me to take that chance?" Sabrina asked.
"No," Levi answered. "I just need you to trust me. I can't come back yet."
"Why not?" Sabrina asked.
"Because the Angels and I've found a lead on Dagon," Levi answered. "But they won't let me leave to go help."
"Why not?" Sabrina asked.
"Because they need things done in Heaven," Levi answered. "And now that I know that the Angels took Ava, I can find out where they took her while I'm up there."
Sabrina shook her head worriedly. "No. No, if they know that you're onto them, then they'll kill you, Levi."
"I can find out where Ava is a lot easier than starting a war with the remaining Angels, Sabrina," Levi told her. "You have to trust me. Please."
"I do trust you," Sabrina told him. "I just don't trust them not to hurt you. I can't lose you, Levi. Not after Aunt Ava going missing again, and if something happens to you, then--"
Levi placed a hand on Sabrina's cheek, silencing her with a kiss. Sabrina was surprised but returned the kiss in kind. They pulled away after a moment.
"You're not gonna lose me, Sabrina," Levi told her. "And I need to stay here if we want to find Ava and keep track of Kelly and Dagon. I'll be careful. I promise." Sabrina sighed, nodding shakily. "All right. We tracked a Demon to Iowa."
"Crowley's?" Sabrina asked.
Levi shook his head. "Works for Dagon. Covers her tracks."
Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Smart."
"Sabrina, don't compliment the bad guys," Levi told her, lightening the mood.
Sabrina and Levi chuckled, now that he got her to feel less worried.
"Uh, so do you know where Kelly is now?" Sabrina asked.
"Not general area," Levi answered. "Same with Ava. But I do the two general locations where they were before."
Sabrina nodded. "Nice. So we're probably gonna have to split up."
"Yeah," Levi agreed. "But I'm not sure if Ava's still there. So I'll still be up in Heaven, searching. See if I can find out where they took her if they moved her."
Sabrina shook her head. "Levi..."
"I can find her, Sabrina," Levi told her. "If I can find Ava, then I'm gonna do anything I can. Your family needs help with tracking Ava, Kelly and Dagon down."
Sabrina hesitated for a long moment, not liking this in the least, but knowing that he was right. "Okay."
Sabrina and Levi looked at each other painfully for a long moment, kissing passionately for the temporary goodbye, deepening the kiss. After a long moment, they pulled away, looking at each other sadly, letting their hands slip out of each other's, kissing one last time. Levi backed away onto the sandbox, looking up. The portal to Heaven lit up all around Levi. Levi and Sabrina looked at each other sadly. Sabrina looked as if she wanted to stop him from going back but knew that he needed to. Levi was teleported up to Heaven through the sandbox. When the glowing white portal faded, Levi was gone. Sabrina sighed heavily, worriedly, hating the turn of events, but knew that Levi was doing what had to be done, disappearing.
§
Crowley's Asylum - Throne Room
Crowley was talking to a group of Demons. "My loyal... ish subjects, these troubled times, I'm aware there might be some confusion as to where you're supposed to place your loyalty. Even with Lucifer back in the Cage, there are those of you who would try to help him... because he scares you or engorges you. Just the chance that Lucifer could come back, the rumor, would've been enough to keep some of you working against me, undermining me, being a royal pain in my... pert, royal ass. But lo, the beast has been humbled." He snapped his fingers, using magic to open the doors. Lucifer, still chained up, head bowed, shuffled into the room. "From his own lips, you will hear proclaimed the one, true leader of all Hell. See, I didn't just beat the Devil. I tamed him. This is all done of your own free will, is it not?"
"Yes, my lord," Lucifer answered.
"Look, kids," Crowley told them. "He goes where I tell him. He does what I tell him. He is my dog. Showtime, Marmaduke."
Crowley indicated to Lucifer.
Lucifer turned around to address the Demons. "Yes, my Lord. He's right, my friends. There is only one true ruler of Hell."
Lucifer silently mouthed 'Me', but Crowley couldn't see what he was doing.
"And that is me, is it not?" Crowley asked.
Lucifer smirked. "Oh, yes."
"And you surrender your heartfelt support to that one true ruler?" Crowley asked.
Lucifer winked at the Demons, who looked confused. "Absolutely."
"And what do you have to say to those who are still unsure of whom they must obey?" Crowley asked.
"I say this," Lucifer told them. "Anyone who does not support this one true king..." He was pointing to himself as he spoke, but Crowley couldn't see that either. "Can be assured of suffering unendurable and everlasting agony." He let his eyes flash red before he let the glow fade, smirking. "I don't hear applause."
The Demons begrudgingly and in apparent confusion, slowly began to clap. Crowley and Lucifer both smirked smugly.
§
Junkyard
Sam, Catty, Dean, Ness and Amara were standing in a junkyard. A car pulled up to them. Mick, Brandon and Renny got out of the car.
Amara looked at Mick and Brandon. "I thought it was just you two coming."
"Well, I thought we'd gotten past our trust issues," Brandon replied. Amara gave him a sarcastic smile. "Look, if Dagon shows, we're gonna need all the help we can get."
Mick nodded to Renny to introduce him. "This is Renny Rawlings. New man."
"Right," Ness told them. "We're--"
"Ness Singer-Winchester, and Sam, Dean, Catty and Amara Winchester," Renny finished. "Amara's the girl that was possessed by the Darkness and nearly became a Werewolf for the rest of her life. We've been well informed on the Winchesters for a long time now. From what Mick and Brandon tell us, none of you have any formal training. Fascinating. I was top of my class at Kendrick's--"
"No one cares," Amara told him.
Brandon chuckled. Mick looked at him knowingly.
"What?" Catty asked.
"Brandon said the exact same thing to Renny when he told us that," Mick answered. Amara looked at Brandon, impressed, amused. Mick took out a cloth, unwrapping it to reveal the Colt. "I, uh, brought the Colt, just like you asked. But it's gotta go back to HQ."
"Gee, Mick, I thought we'd gotten past the trust issues," Dean told him sarcastically.
Sam chuckled. "Hmm."
"Are Cas, Sabrina, Ariel and Faith not going to be here?" Brandon asked.
"It's not that," Catty told them. "It's just that Levi gave us this lead. But he also gave us a lead on where Ava was. So Sabrina's gonna bring Kelly here. While Cas, Ariel and Faith goes to try to find Ava via the lead Levi gave us. But she might not be there anymore."
§
House - Outside
Kelly was getting some fresh air.
Sabrina appeared next to her. "Hiya, Kelly."
Kelly was surprised to see her. "Sabrina? How did you--"
"Tip from Levi," Sabrina answered. "Let's go."
Sabrina teleported them away.
§
Night - Junkyard
Sabrina appeared with Kelly to join the others.
"This everyone?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Sam answered. "Cas, Ariel and Faith are still looking for Ava. While Levi's still playing undercover with Angels to try to find Ava."
"Right," Ness agreed. "Great." She pointed at Renny. "Sabrina, Renny. Renny, Sabrina."
"He's with Brandon and Mick," Sam explained.
"I'm Renny Rawlings," Renny told her. "Graduated Kendrick's top of my--"
"Right, I don't care," Sabrina told him.
Amara and Brandon exchanged an amused look because they had both said the same thing.
Dean gestured for Kelly to come closer. "Come on."
Kelly walked away. "Don't."
"Okay," Sam told her. "Kelly, listen, we--we all know you're in a really... difficult situation. And we--we just... we wanna help."
"You call this helping?" Kelly asked.
"Look, Kelly, those kids, they're..." Dean trailed off. "I mean, they can't... I mean, they're Lucifer's."
"Yeah, I know," Kelly told them. "You think I wanted this to happen? He used me. But I love this children."
"You will mean absolutely nothing to those children," Mick told her. "Those children will kill us all."
Brandon gave him a look. "Dad. That's--that's not helping, okay?"
"We're--we're gonna figure something out," Ness told them. "We will. We--"
Renny reached for his weapon. "This is absurd."
Catty gave him a look for trying to kill Kelly. "Don't."
The wind picked up around them in a magical way, as if a storm was approaching.
"She's here," Sabrina told them.
Dagon appeared in front of them. "Hey." Catty pulled out the Colt. Sam, Dean, Ness, Amara, Brandon, Mick and Renny pulled out their normal guns. Dagon trust out her hands in the air to throw them through back through the air and make them all land heavily on the ground, painfully, all except for Sabrina and Kelly, all of them dropping their guns in the process. Dagon saw Sabrina. "Ooh, there you are. Sabrina Winchester. The True Hybrid. Honor to meet you."
Sabrina thrust her hand toward Dagon, causing her magical agony as Dagon tried and failed to fight through the pain, gasping in pain. Dagon tried to punch Sabrina. Sabrina blocked the move. Dagon tried to punch her. Sabrina blocked the move. Dagon tried to kick her. Sabrina raised an arm to block the move, spinning around to backhand punch Dagon in the face. Dagon punched Sabrina, but didn't hurt her in the least. Sabrina twisted Dagon's arm around, spinning around underneath it to flip her to the ground. Dagon stood, trying to punch Sabrina twice, but she blocked both moves. Sabrina was using her power to start to disintegrate Dagon. The others stood, firing their normal guns at Dagon, but they didn't harm her. Renny was shooting both Sabrina and Dagon, distracting Sabrina, but not hurting her, just annoying her for the distraction. Dagon was able to pull free from the pain now that Sabrina was distracted by Renny shooting her, appearing next to Kelly to try to leave with Kelly immediately because she knew that she wouldn't win a fight with Sabrina. Amara had the Colt aiming at Dagon while Renny continued to shoot at Dagon and Sabrina. Amara fired at Dagon, just as she disappeared, taking Kelly with her. The bullet from the Colt continued on its path to hit Renny in the chest. They all slowly realized what had happened as the bullet killed Renny in front of all of them and he fell to the ground, dead, all of them horrified, especially Amara.
§
Mick was kneeling next to Renny's dead body, frustrated and in disbelief. Brandon stood behind him, completely in shock.
Amara dropped the Colt in shock. Ness caught it before it fell to the ground.
Amara was close to crying with the realization that she had accidentally killed a Human. "I didn't... I didn't mean to. I was shooting at Dagon. I'm--"
Ness shook her head, pulling Amara into her arms comfortingly. "No. No. It was an accident. It's all right."
Sabrina reappeared, walking closer. Castiel, Ariel and Faith appeared with her.
"Sabrina?" Catty asked. "Dagon? And Kelly?" Sabrina sighed, shaking her head. Catty knew it meant that Dagon had fortified the warding to hide them again and moved on, sighing in frustration. "Damn it."
"What about Ava?" Sam asked. They didn't answer at first. Sam walked closer. "Ariel? Faith?" Ariel and Faith couldn't answer, looking down, near tears. "Cas?"
"I'm sorry, Sam," Castiel told him.
Sam knew they hadn't found her, sighing shakily. Ariel and Faith walked closer to hug Sam worriedly.
Sam held them close to reassure both them and himself. "It's okay, Ariel. We're gonna find Ava, Faith."
Mick pulled out his gun, aiming at Amara.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean told him. "What are you doing?"
"Hey!" Ariel told him.
Mick looked devastated to do this. "She killed a Man of Letters. S--she has to die."
"It was an accident," Sam told him. "Sabrina, Ariel and Faith can bring him back."
"It doesn't matter," Mick told them. "Sabrina, Ariel and Faith can't bring him back. The Code states that the dead should stay dead. And Amara has to die for killing him."
Dean and Ness both aimed their guns at Mick. Sabrina, Ariel and Faith walked closer.
"No, hey," Catty told him.
"Screw the Code," Faith told him.
"Dad, you don't have to do this," Brandon told him.
"You won't be able to with Sabrina, Ariel and Faith standing right here," Sam told him.
"I'm sorry," Amara told them, close to crying.
Brandon looked worried and despaired. "Dad..."
Mick was clearly conflicted and devastated with fighting against the Code and doing the right thing.
"Mick," Ariel told him. "Brandon, listen to me. I know, I--I know you guys h--have this Men of Letters Code you have to blindly answer to, but..."
"Look, you don't have to do that, Mick," Faith told him. "Brandon, you're better than that. Please."
"You only have to answer to yourselves," Castiel told them. "You only have to do what you know is right. You only have to answer to your own code."
"Dad, we fought against the Code when we decided to cure Amara, Sage and Claire from being Werewolves instead of killing them," Brandon told him. "We did it again when we let Sage go though she doesn't have a soul. We can do that again. Please, Dad. You won't be able to hurt Amara even if you wanted to. Not with Sabrina, Ariel and Faith right here. So, please, don't make this harder than it has to be. Let Amara go."
Mick looked completely devastated, lowering his gun, nodding to Brandon in agreement. He looked at the Winchesters. "Just go."
Dean and Ness lowered their guns.
Ness nodded. "Yeah."
Amara was still in too much shock to move, looking unbelievably grateful that Brandon had talked Mick out of this, but still devastated that this had happened at all. "Thank you, Brandon."
Brandon nodded to Amara, still looking completely stunned. Sabrina, Ariel and Faith nodded, teleporting themselves and their family away. Brandon was still in shock, pacing, punching a nearby wall.
"Brandon..." Mick trailed off.
Brandon turned to face him. "Thank you. For letting Amara go. Though we both know that you wouldn't have been able to kill her. Because of Sabrina, Ariel and Faith."
Mick nodded in agreement. "I don't think I could have been able to kill Amara anyway. Because of you, Brandon."
Brandon nodded, sighing, turning away.
§
Motel Room
Ketch was in bed, underneath sheets.
Mary was getting dressed.
"Well, that was unexpected," Ketch told her. "But invigorating. I must say, when I first met you, I didn't see this coming. My thought at the time was, 'I'll end up shooting this one'. Hmm, life is full of surprises."
Mary walked closer. "Ketch."
"Yes?" Ketch asked.
"You're not... reading anything into this?" Mary asked.
"Like?" Ketch asked.
"Like it means anything," Mary answered.
Ketch nodded. "Oh. It... you really needn't worry. I... trust is, I'm not... built for that. And I suspect you aren't either."
"You're wrong," Mary told him. "But that was a long time ago. So we're good?"
"We are," Ketch answered. "And I notice you took my advice."
"Advice?" Mary repeated.
"You had a choice to make," Ketch told her. "Your work or family ties."
"You know what?" Mary asked, giving him an annoyed look. "It's not either/or. I have the same discussion with my family. I'm not choosing hunting over them. Why does it have to be one or the other?"
"So you want to have it all?" Ketch asked.
Mary nodded. "Trying to."
Ketch seemed annoyed. "Good for you."
§
Crowley's Asylum - Locked Room
Lucifer was standing, shirtless, talking to a Demon named Drexel. "So how we looking?"
"You're sure Crowley is occupied elsewhere?" Drexel asked.
"Yeah, he's on his rounds," Lucifer answered. "Crowley's got, like, two and a half more hours of getting his pert, royal ass kissed."
Drexel was inspecting Lucifer's vessel for the warding. "Well, upper left quadrant is sound. Restoration's holding. No laminations detected. Lower left, likewise."
"You made the right decision, you know," Lucifer told him. "'Cause when the dust settles, there's only gonna be one of us standing." He whispered tauntingly. "And it ain't gonna be the guy with the accent, if you know what I mean. I'm very, very impressed."
Drexel took a step back. "Uh, you'll be happy to know the--the vessel is completely sound. The repairs are secure."
"And the security system?" Lucifer asked. "Whatever it is that lets Crowley turn me into his own personal sock puppet." Drexel looked uncertain. "I don't hear words."
"The--the s--system is very much intact," Drexel answered.
"But you can disarm it?" Lucifer asked. Drexel hesitated. Lucifer grabbed him by the throat, choking him. "I'm not really known for my patience."
"I don't quite have the means--" Drexel started.
"Who does?" Lucifer asked.
"Spivak," Drexel answered. "He designed--"
"Where is he?" Lucifer asked.
"Dead," Drexel answered.
"Dead?" Lucifer repeated.
"Dead," Drexel answered. Lucifer released him. The Demon coughed, trying to regain his breath. "Uh, yeah, after the system was installed, Crowley killed Spivak to safeguard its secrets."
Lucifer nodded, putting an arm around Drexel's shoulders. "Mm, well, you can crack it, right?"
"Yeah," Drexel answered nervously. "I just need some time. I'll--I'll be quick."
"Good," Lucifer told him, kissing Drexel on the head. "'Cause I am getting stir crazy. And I'm about to be a dad."
§
The Bunker - Library
The family had returned home. Amara was still in shock, devastated.
"You okay?" Ness asked in concern, worried.
Amara started to nod in a lie, but realized that they wouldn't believe the charade, starting to shake her head, tears in her eyes. "No. He wasn't a monster. He was..."
Dean turned Amara to face him. "Hey. Look at me. Amara." Amara looked up. "It was a mistake. We've all made mistakes like this."
Amara nodded, still shaking. "I know. I remember."
Dean and Ness wrapped their arms around Amara to hold her so that she didn't have to feel alone with the guilt and grief of an accident like tonight, because they each had to go through this one time or another, and they didn't want her to go through it alone. The others looked at them sadly in sympathy, knowing the exact pain that they were each going through for Amara to have to go through this like they had before. Dean, Ness and Amara pulled away finally. Sabrina, Ariel and Faith embraced Amara. Amara returned the hugs, trying not to cry. Catty held an arm around Amara.
"Ariel, Sow and I would have brought him back to life, Amara," Faith told her.
"Yeah, but Mick and Brandon didn't want us to," Ariel told them.
"It's okay," Amara told them.
"And Sow would've killed that Dagon bitch if Renny hadn't been shooting at both of them, distracting Sow," Catty told them.
"Sabrina almost killed Dagon?" Castiel asked.
"With ease, until Renny started to shoot at her," Dean answered.
"What about Ava?" Sam asked. "What now?"
"We don't know," Castiel told them sadly. "Levi was right before. Ava was there where he sent us."
"But Levi was right about them moving Mom so we couldn't find them," Ariel added.
"Where is he, anyway?" Ness asked.
"The Angels didn't want to let him leave Heaven," Faith answered. "Not yet. And Levi's staying up there until he can find another lead on Dagon, Kelly and Mom."
"He knows that the Angels are the ones behind Aunt Ava going missing, right?" Amara asked.
"Yeah," Sabrina answered sadly.
"So Levi's putting himself on the line to try to help us find Mom," Faith told them. "Again."
"He's risking his own life to save us," Sabrina told them. "Again."
Catty wrapped an arm around Sabrina worriedly in concern, knowing she was worried out of her mind for him. "Levi's going to be fine." She looked at Sam, Ariel and Faith. "And we're gonna find Ava."
Castiel nodded in agreement, sadly. "We have to."
They all looked at each other sadly in worry.
§
Apartment Building - Bedroom
Dagon was handcuffing Kelly to the bed.
"Why are you doing this?" Kelly asked.
"Oh, don't even," Dagon told her. "I tried, but clearly, you can't be trusted."
"Sabrina found me," Kelly told her. "I couldn't run."
"But you were listening to them," Dagon told her.
"I'm worried about the babies," Kelly told her. "I'm trying to protect them."
Dagon smirked in amusement. "Oh, honey. You can't. I mean, you don't need to. I wasn't lying. Your babies are strong. So strong. Whatever happens, they're going to be just fine. But you... won't. Yeah, those weird little pains? Just a taste of what's to come. 'Cause you know, the Angel Octavia was able to survive giving birth to Ariel and Faith Winchester, because she was and is an Angel. But you know, birthing Nephilims for a Human? Fatal. Always."
§
Day Three
Morning - London, England
Men of Letters Compound - Octavia's Cell
In the cell of a room, Octavia was chained to a chair with Enochian warded chains, in her cell that was warded enough all around the walls, being tortured, while they were trying to rewire her brain, having Enochian warded wires in her skull. "Sow! Ariel! Faith!"
Hess and Ketch walked in.
"You won't be able to pray to them, Octavia," Ketch told her. "Well, I mean, you could pray to them, but they won't hear you through all of the warding on the walls."
"Why are you doing this?" Octavia asked. "Why did the Angels bring me here to you? You know Sabrina, Ariel and Faith will never listen to you."
"No, they wouldn't," Hess agreed. "That's why you're here, Octavia. To ensure that Sabrina, Ariel and Faith will behave."
"I'm not doing anything for you," Octavia told them.
"Not of your own free will, no," Hess agreed. "But that's why with the spell we're concocting with the Angels' brainwashing of you, we'll be able to rewire your thoughts and feelings, into ours."
"How do you know that Sabrina, Ariel and Faith won't just heal me from the damage that you do to me, once they, Sam, Dean, Ness, Amara, Catty, Cas and Levi find me and bring me home to them and Aiden?" Octavia asked.
"Because with this spell, if Sabrina, Ariel and Faith try to heal you, or Castiel and Levi for that matter, they'll only damage your mind further than what it will already be," Ketch answered. "Meaning that if they heal you, it will make the brainwashing, the anger, whatever fire you feel inside, all the more worse, and they may never see their precious Ava again. Let's begin, shall we?"
Octavia glared at them angrily. "Go to Hell. No, wait, you might actually feel at home there."
Ketch chuckled. "How the mighty have fallen, hmm?"
"Why don't you just stop, because one way or another, I'm going to get free, and then I'm going to kill every last one of you for trying to use me against Sabrina, Ariel and Faith," Octavia told them. "And trust me, it's not going to be pretty."
Ketch smirked. "Good. Use your anger, Octavia. We'll need all you have for what's about to come."
"And what is about to come?" Octavia asked in boredom. "Whatever you do to me, I'm not going to turn against my family."
"You won't have a choice with this spell and the brainwashing, dear," Hess told her.
"You're underestimating me, and if there's anything you should learn from your friend Kelvin who brought me here, it's that it's a fatal mistake to underestimate me," Octavia told them. "Just ask the Angels that I killed while trying to escape."
"You're not here just so we can use you against Sabrina, Ariel and Faith, Octavia," Ketch told her. "We need something more from you than just that."
There was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Ketch, would you let him in, please?" Hess asked.
Ketch opened the door, revealing Mick, who looked confused to be there.
"Ketch?" Mick asked. "Why'd you call me here back to London?"
"Oh, I didn't," Ketch answered. "Please, come in."
Mick walked in, stopping in shock when he saw Octavia.
"Hey, Mick," Octavia told him nonchalantly. "Where's Brandon?"
"What the bloody hell is this?" Mick asked.
"I've been tasked by the other elders to fix this rapidly deteriorating situation," Hess told him.
"Ma'am, please," Mick told her. "I'm--"
"Are you about to tell me that you are doing the best that you can?" Hess asked. "Two days ago, according to your own report, you and Brandon let a Prince of Hell escape with the mother of Lucifer's children. And one of my best men was murdered by Amara Winchester, whom you and Brandon allowed to live."
"Amara killed a Men of Letters?" Octavia asked in surprise. "Well, serves you right for what you're doing."
"It was an accident," Mick told them.
Octavia sighed. "Then Amara's probably beating herself up about it and torturing herself. She gets that from Dean, Ness and Catty. Poor Amara."
Ketch pushed the electricity to send shock waves into Octavia's head to hurt her, but she barely flinched, though it did stop her from talking for the moment.
"Stop," Mick told them. "Why are you doing this?"
"These hunters are out of control," Hess answered. "The family Winchester, in particular, which Lady Bevell has exhaustively documented."
"Toni, you mean?" Octavia asked. "Yeah, the bitch that kidnapped me, Ness and Amara when I didn't have my Grace? The one that almost made Amara kill herself. Trying to use me against my family like that again? Didn't you learn anything from the last time you tried to do that?"
"Well, this time, we have the help of Angels," Ketch told her.
"Yeah, and why are they helping you?" Octavia asked.
"Because they want the power of Sabrina, Ariel and Faith," Ketch answered. "You should know better than anyone that Angels are a dying breed these days. They want to make more. Create more, but they don't have that kind of power."
Octavia realized what they meant, sighing. "But Sabrina, Ariel and Faith do. They want to use them to create more Angels."
"Precisely," Ketch answered.
Mick was worried, shaking his head, holding his phone behind his back so that he could secretly call Brandon, leaving a message for his son so that he could hear all of this. "Dr. Hess, if--if you could just listen..."
"To what?" Hess asked. "More excuses? No. I don't think I will. Hunters are dogs, Octavia. You give them an order, and they obey. That's how it works."
Octavia scoffed. "You clearly don't know hunters."
"Well, I know that American hunters don't obey us," Ketch agreed. "But other hunters around the world do."
"So, once Octavia is ready to be used to control Sabrina, Ariel and Faith Winchester, Amara Winchester will be killed in accordance with the Code," Hess told them.
Octavia glared angrily, struggling. "No. I'm not good at following orders, though I'm supposed to be, for being created as an Angel, so I won't control Sabrina, Ariel and Faith, and so you can't kill Amara."
"Mick and Brandon Davies should have killed Amara Winchester, but they didn't," Ketch told her. "They released her, disobeying their call."
"Well, good for you and Brandon, Mick," Octavia told him. "Thank you for letting Amara go."
"Yes, it seems that Mick and Brandon have been compromised," Ketch told her.
"Why are you doing this?" Mick asked. "To use Octavia to control Sabrina, Ariel and Faith Winchester will not work."
"Octavia will be forced to obey with this spell and the rewiring of her brain, her Grace," Hess explained. Octavia was starting to get more nervous, struggling against the warded chains. "Amara Winchester will be killed once Octavia takes Sabrina, Ariel and Faith. As for Sam, Dean and Catty Winchester, and Ness Singer-Winchester, like any rebellious hunter, they will be investigated. And if found guilty, executed."
"If they're found guilty?" Octavia repeated. "Sounds to me like you find all hunters guilty. Are you monsters really going to leave Aiden without his entire family?"
"Be careful, Octavia," Hess told her.
"No," Octavia told them.
"My entire life with the Men of Letters, I never broke a rule," Mick told them. "And yes, at first I was shocked at how the Winchesters operate. So was Brandon. But what Lady Bevell doesn't mention is the lives they've saved, monsters destroyed, and outcomes made better not because of the Code, but because of their sense of what's right."
Octavia looked at Mick, impressed.
"And that is the crux of the matter," Hess told them. "The Code is not a suggestion. It's an absolute. The Code is what separates us from the monsters. It is the order by which we all live."
"No," Mick told her. "The Code is what made Brandon's best friend try to kill him when he was ten, making Brandon kill Timothy just to survive." Octavia was surprised and sympathetic. "When I was a child, I had nothing. I owed you everything, and I obeyed. But Brandon showed me there is a better way with the Winchesters, Dr. Hess." Hess nodded discreetly to Ketch. "And I can see the choices. And I choose to do the right thing." Mick walked toward Octavia to try to set her free. "I'm releasing Octavia."
Octavia looked behind him. "Mick!" Ketch shot Mick in the back of the head. Mick died instantly, falling to the floor in front of Ava. Octavia was stunned but couldn't break free from her warded handcuffs, more effected by this death than she ever thought she would be because he was going to help her, and he chose her family over his own people. "No..."
They noticed that Mick's phone was sending the voicemail to Brandon.
Hess looked at Ketch. "You stop that voicemail from reaching Brandon. We can't have him knowing about what is happening here. Brandon will immediately tell the Winchesters, and he'll know that he's being targeted next."
Octavia struggled angrily. "It's not enough that you just killed Brandon's father? Now you want to kill him? You want to use me in an attempt to control Sabrina, Ariel and Faith so that you can kill Cas, Levi, Sam, Dean, Catty, Ness, Aiden and Amara without them bringing them back to life? You guys are worse than most monsters my family hunts."
Ketch picked up Mick's phone. "I'll scramble the message so it doesn't reach Brandon. So he'll remain in the dark."
"Do it quickly," Hess told him.
Ketch walked away to do as told. Octavia struggled furiously, looking at Mick's body in front of her in regret.
§
Lebanon, Kansas
The Bunker - Library
Amara was sitting in the library, gazing off. The rest of the family was nearby.
"Amara," Ness told her. "Did you even get any sleep the last couple days?"
"No," Amara answered. "I couldn't stop seeing what happened."
"It's not your fault, Amara," Ariel told her.
"I know," Amara told them. "It doesn't make it any easier."
"We know," Dean told her.
"Morning," Sam told them.
"Morning," Faith told him.
"Sow, you, uh, you hear anything from Levi yet?" Castiel asked.
"Mm, no," Sabrina answered. "Levi's still looking for Aunt Ava."
"You think they're okay?" Catty asked worriedly.
"I don't know," Ariel told them.
Sam, Ariel and Faith looked so overcome with worry they couldn't think straight.
Ness looked at her computer. "Oh, hey. Eileen lost her lead yesterday, too. She says that she has to head back to Ireland to get help from a friend of hers, says that they can help us."
"Great," Faith told them. "We could use all the help we can get."
"Yeah," Catty agreed, picking up the Colt that she had wrapped in cloth, handing it to Dean. "Hmm, kept this from last night.'
Dean opened the cloth to look at the Colt, smirking. "Ah." He picked the gun up, pretending to take aim. "Welcome back, sweetheart."
Dean put the gun down.
Sam looked at the desolate Amara, who was staring off into space. "Amara? You gonna be okay?"
Amara looked up, trying to stay focused and not depressed and guilt ridden. "Probably not for a while. Not after what happened. Not until we know Levi and Aunt Ava are okay."
They nodded in understanding and agreement. Ness sat next to Amara, putting an arm around her comfortingly. Amara leaned her head against Ness' shoulder. Dean put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently. Sam, Ariel, Faith, Castiel, Catty and Sabrina looked at them sadly.
§
London, England
Men of Letters Compound - Octavia's Cell
Still chained up with Enochian chains and Enochian wires in her skull, Octavia was still looking at Mick's body. Ketch was cleaning up the mess, while Hess stood nearby next to a man.
"The voicemail to Brandon has been deflected," Ketch told them. "It's lost in the wind. Brandon will not know, and he will not be able to tell the Winchesters. And he will not know that he's next on our list to kill."
"Leave Brandon alone," Octavia told them. "Just let him go."
"And why would you care about Brandon?" Ketch asked in amusement.
"I don't personally," Octavia answered. "I don't know Brandon well enough to care that much about him. But he talked his own father out of killing Amara. Brandon also convinced Mick into curing Amara, Sage and Claire from being Werewolves, from what you've told me, and he talked Mick into letting Sage go. And I do know of someone who does care about him, after everything he did for her. Amara."
"So you want to protect your niece from the loss of her friend," Ketch told her mockingly. "Well, that is sweet, Octavia."
"You can do whatever you want to me," Octavia told them. "You can destroy me for all I care. But do not hurt my family. Sam, Ariel, Faith. Dean, Ness, Amara, Aiden. Catty, Cas, Sabrina. Even Levi. They're all my family, and I would rather die than hurt them or be forced to hurt them."
"Luckily, my dear, you won't have a choice," Hess told her. "The grand experiment recruiting American hunters has failed. Utterly."
"I still don't know what you want me to do about that," Octavia told her. "And I don't give a damn."
Hess smirked sarcastically. "I want you to exterminate them. Every. last. one. The Angels will have you use Sabrina, Ariel and Faith for their purposes. We will use you for this. And the sooner you submit, the less painful it will all be."
Octavia glared, struggling while they continued to run electricity through her brain, while the man next to Hess was chanting the spell, causing her great pain that Ava fought against. The pain wasn't as bad as the fear that they were right and she would be forced to hurt the ones that she loved the most.