WARNING this chapter contains highly sensitive topics, including
-major character death
-graphic violence
-substance abuse
-suicidal ideation
-sexual harassment
If you are triggered by any of the following please read at your own risk.
Stay safe.
If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.
Ernest Hemingway
1 year ago, Sioux Falls, With the Winchesters
Belle smiled at Jaibrien as they leaned against Baby, her angel plastered to her side as she plays with the curls of Belle's hair. Dean spoke lowly on the phone with Cas, apparently something to do with the Demon, Crowley they'd been looking for.
Dean turned toward them his face layered in disgust as he saw the loving expression plastered on Jay's lips as his daughter looks up at him. "The place Crowley is in is covered in angel warding, Cas can't get in, so, we'll have to take it from there." Neither girl missed the significant look that Dean gave the angel beside Belle.
"I suppose," she says lowly, "I'll join Castiel," her eyes look at Belle, "be careful love?"
The huntress smirks, "never." With a roll of her eyes and quick peck on the lips, the angel flew off, disappearing from their sights. Ignoring the look both her guardians shot her, she rolled her eyes, hopping on her bike, "lead the way losers."
***
As Jo did a quick distraction Belle silently got a slick angle on Demon number 2, her angel blade grasped in her hand tightly. "I think I should wait by my car." The blonde says, playing the part of scared, ditzy, rich girl.
"I said, get your ass in here." The demon snapped, Jo, attacking as he layed his hand on her. As soon as the other demon goes to jump on her, Belle lunges, attaching herself to his back as she wraps her legs tightly around his waist. Blade impeding itself through his windpipe, a low gurgling sound rang out as he choked on blood and the telltale implosion of the demon dying allowed her to drop as his body crashed to the ground.
"Good job Jo," Uncle Sammy praises as they made their way to the mansion, the electricity cutting just in time, good Dean was in.
Making their way inside silently, the three waited until the sound of footsteps neared them. "The names Crowley... right?" Sam asked sarcastically. Belle watched as the demon turned to face them where they waited at the end of the hall. Dean with his shotgun trustily drawn and Sam with Ruby's blade. Belle didn't have her blade out yet, she was hidden underneath a blanket of shadows a little further down the hall, ready and waiting.
The creature smirks, unsurprised and seemingly unbothered, "So the hardy boys finally found me." He starts, taking steps forward when he pauses, eyes slinking down to the rug and her guardian's eyes follow dumbly. When he flips it, revealing the devil's trap, he didn't seem angry, just vaguely perturbed. "Do you have any idea, how much this rug cost me?" Belle goes to move when she feels her hands being yanked back, a knife held to her neck as two more henchmen overtake Dean and Sam. A quiet click resounds in the room, mixing with the hunters grunts of protest. Eye flash up as Crowley turns the colt. "This is it, right? This is what it's all about."
He pauses, aiming it at them stilling and then suddenly three loud bangs consume the room, the electrical sound of the demons dying shock all three Winchesters. Crowley only pauses, eyeing them before turning, "we need to talk, privately."
Belle grunts, pushing past the two to follow, what, not like she couldn't kill him if she wanted to, plus they were giving him a dumb look and not moving. Who does that?
Crowley watches her for a moment and then continues walking, Dean rushing to follow his daughter, "What the hell is this?" He snaps, voice rough with seething anger and confusion.
The demon opens the door ignoring him as he dangles the colt by his finger, "Do you know how deep I could have buried this thing?" He waves a hand and the door slams shut, locking immediately. "There's no reason you or anyone should know this even exists, except that I told you."
"You told us?" Sam said, derisively, brows up.
He smirks, "Rumors, innuendo, sent out on the grapevine." He summarizes.
Belle sighs, "why?"
Crowley looks at her, not moving his eyes as he addresses her father, colt aimed at him steadily, "I want you to take this thing to Lucifer and empty it into his face."
"Uh-huh, okay," Dean snaps, trying to draw the man's eyes to him, it doesn't quite work, but the suited demon spares him a glance, "and why exactly would you want the devil dead?"
The demon finally moves his gaze from her, his face twisted in some dark expression, "It's called." He slams the colt down on his desk, "Survival. Well, I forgot you two at best are functioning morons-" he states looking at her guardians, specifically leaving out Belle.
"You're functioning...morons..." Dean snaps, and Belle slaps her palm over her forehead.
"Oh my fucking god," she whispers a snort leaving Crowley as he watches her father judgingly.
Yet, he only continues on, his hands rolling as if he was shaping the words he spoke, emphasizing it, "Lucifer isn't a demon, remember? He's an angel. An angel famous for his hatred of humankind. To him, you're just filthy bags of pus." He pauses, looking at the youngest Winchester picking up a glass of some expensive and extravagant alcohol, "Well, most humans, If that's the way he feels about you, what can he think about us?"
Sam watched stupidly, as if his words didn't make sense. "But he created you."
"So do parents, yet 31% of kids grow up in a single parent household," Belle snaps, "I'm pretty sure just cause you created it doesn't mean you love it."
Crowley nods, "and unfortunately for us, Lucifer is the angel of Daddy issues, To him, we're just servants. Cannon fodder. If Lucifer manages to exterminate humankind, we're next. So, help me, huh?" He steps toward them. An almost pleading gaze, "Let's all go back to simpler, better times, back to when we could all follow our natures. I'm in sales, dammit!" He snaps, "So what do you say if I give you this thing, and you go kill the devil?"
He holds the colt out handle first, the boys looking at each other wearly, when he wiggles the gun tauntingly Belle huffs, grabbing it from him and shoving it into her father's chest who passes it to Sam. "We good?" She snaps, as Crowley nods, Sam watching the girl with a gaping look.
"You wouldn't happen to know where the devil is, by chance, would you?" Her Uncle says, almost sarcastically.
The demon sighs, feeling tired of the conversation, "Thursday, birdies tell me, there's an appointment in Carthage, Missouri." Sam glances at Dean before smirking, raising the colt to aim between Crowley's brows.
"Great." He says darkly, pulling the trigger, the teen rolls her eyes at the resounding empty click. His face falling. Why the fuck would a demon give a demon killing gun to two hunters and tell them all the information they wanted?
Belle might not know the dude but she didn't think he was a dumbass, not that she had the best track record with knowing that, I mean, look at her guardians, and to think she once saw them as "smart."
"Oh, yeah, right, you'll probably need some more ammunition." He says, walking to his desk, opening a drawer.
Dean sighs as Belle waltzes over to the Demon's desk and sat on it, ignoring the look her father gave her. "Oh, uh, excuse me for asking, but aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant? I mean, what happens to you if we go up against the devil and lose?"
"Number one, he's going to wipe us all out anyway. Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to all points nowhere. And three, how about you don't miss, okay! Morons!" He chucks a holding device for the bullets, looking at Belle, "keep an eye on the tot would you?" He states, still speaking to her father, "Lucifer's been extending awards for whoever brings her to him." And before anyone could react he dissapeared leaving the three dumbfounded in the room.
"Well," Belle states, picking up whatever Crowley was drinking and sipping from it, "this is fun."
***
Jaibrien is seated on a "love seat" as they called it, tucked away in a nook of Singer's home. Cool eyes surveying the room as Belle rests her head on the angel's shoulder, dark bruises caking the underneath of the huntress' eyelids. The tone of the home was warm, a familiar and comfortable chatter and clink of shot glasses from the other room soothing both girls. Belle sighs burying her nose deeper into the suit jacket that hung around her lover. A mumbled string of half coherent swears and declarations of love getting lost in the fabric.
The angel only hummed, her fingers twisting through the dark locks, "yeah?" She asks, half interestedly, her attention fully on the way the huntress' nose crinkles when she scratches just a certain spot behind her ear. Or even trying to count the freckles that splashed across her cheeks. "Tell me more?" Jaibrien pleads, a whisper of promise falling on deaf ears as the soft sotto chime of her huntress' voice continues, sending vibrations across her skin.
It was in this moment that all Jaibrien had to do, to feel absolutely cherished and wanted was to tune into the blazing emotions that consumed Belle's mind. Mellow hues of adoration, homely waves that contained nothing but exalt, soft benevolent winds that carried whisps of devotion and admiration. Jay might've chalked it up to revere if not for the veneer of love masking each and every thought that held the Angel's name.
Did she mirror this? Of course. For she would watch the entire world burn, the universe even, if it meant she could hold the dotted cheek of her human just once.
The trance that consumed Jay dissipated as she heard the eldest Winchester enter the room, his daughter soundly asleep and wrapped in her arms. He coughs awkwardly, trying and utterly failing to escape the piercing gaze of the angel.
"Hey, uh, we, Sam and I wanted to go over the plan with Belle." He states, about to wake her when Jay rose a free hand, face cold.
The angel looks to the human tucked faithfully beside her, light snores finally sounding. "She just went to sleep." Jaibrien murmered, waving her hand acrossed her forehead to soothe any dreams and allow her to fall into a deeper sleep. "She hasn't slept well this past week."
"I've noticed," Dean snaps, in a defended manor, "she's my daughter, I can tell."
Jay narrowed her eyes, "oh? I wasn't aware you actually paid attention to her."
The younger man growled, face flushing, "Look, I don't get your problem here."
"My problem?" She snaps, "is that when the going gets tough you don't put her first, you never have." The angel looks at him darkly, "the problem is you make her doubt herself." The crackle of electricity in the room was practically overpowering, you could taste the sharp cling of static, "and worst of all, you allowed John to do those horrible things to your daughter, you allowed her to be a soldier and not a child."
Dean doesn't say anything for a long moment, just stood, watching the celestial being hatefully, "I love her."
"But are you healthy for her?" Jaibrien asks, the conversation breaking when they hear Bobby shout from outside of the room.
Belle woke, with a starts, her eyes bleary. "Everybody get in here! It's time for the lineup. Usual suspects in the corner." The teen groans, standing unsteadily wobbling sleepily toward the door.
"Let's go before Grandpa kills us." Belle says, purposefully ignoring the intense air of the room behind her.
Bobby was setting up his tripod when they entered, wheeling himself to where the rest of the group stood, "Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by." He says jokingly as they all stood. Jaibrien wrapping an arm around the waist of Belle and pulling her close, allowing the girl to rest her head comfortably on her chest.
"Ha!" Ellen laughs, rolling her eyes playfully, "Always good to have an optimist around."
Castiel, being him, ruins the moment, the room sobering immediately and Jaibrien groaning in annoyance as his gravely tone falls upon them, "Bobby's right. Tomorrow we hunt the devil. This is our last night on earth."
So much for team free will.
After the photo was taken, Belle grabbed a beer and headed off, waving away the concerned expression of her lover. Walking out into the junkyard.
What she didn't count on was Dean following her, walking beside her silently as she sat ontop of a rusted out lemon. "Kid," he says quietly just as she takes a sip from the dark bottle. "You can't come tomorrow."
"The hell I can't." She snapped, voice tight, trying to end the damn argument before it began. Shadows falling on her sullen face darkly.
"You know what you are to him!" Dean shot back, "I can't live with myself if I let that happen!"
Belle slammed the glass harshly down on the metal roof, rust chips flaking down with the force, "and you think I want that?" She asked, "but if I'm not there and things go south? It'll happen anyways." The teen curled in on herself, "He'll find me anyways, and I'm done. Done with hiding."
Dean sat next to her, the creak of metal filling the silence, "I... I can't lose you sweetheart." They both pretended it was too dark to see the tears welling in both their eyes.
"And I can't stay." She replied, leaning on his arm, corralling comfort, "I'm so scared Dad," she picks up her drink not taking a sip, just swishing the alcohol around. "I'm so scared, and I don't want to lose anyone." She chokes, the thought of losing Dean, or Sam it destroyed her, but even the concept of losing her Bluebird, it killed her.
Yet, not one for false hope, her father raises his glass to hers, clinking the necks before knocking it back.
Tomorrow was the End.
***
To even try and describe the tension that lurked under the huntress' skin, was impossible. Each time the tires of her bike rolled, ever blade of grass they passed felt like concrete solidifying in her veins.
The impala creeped faithfully beside her and she's reminded of her fellow rider when a particularly dark dip of her bike causes Jaibrien to tighten her hold. When baby finally sputtered to a stop in the ghost town, and Jo and Ellen's truck pulled to the side, Belle's bike settled between them. Dean lowering his phone. "We're gonna go check out the PD. You guys stay here, see if you can find anybody."
Belle nodded, driving off with Jaibrien on her as the dipped and weaved through alleyways. "I don't like it," Blue said as they parked a ways down from a particularly shaded spot. They walked through stores, the scent of old rain still clung to the air. There was something else there, an underlying mix of lilies and formaldehyde lurking in the atmosphere.
"Yeah, what is it?" The huntress asked, unease filling her gut. Jaibrien pulled her body closer, angel blade slipping from her sleeve.
"It's reapers," The angel whispered, "they tend to gather like this in times of tragedy, Tulsa, Pompeii, Concentration Camps..." she pauses, "Castiel has also noticed, he's trying to find out why."
Belle watched as missing fliers swirled in the wind, scattering and catching in gutters and drains, "do you need to join him?" She asks, plucking one from a pole and reading it.
"No, I don't want you to be alone." Jaibrien grunted, icy eyes still on the invisible beings. "The others have gathered, let's join them."
Belle goes to speak when suddenly she feels something yank her back, her gun is flung from her grip instantaneously, arms bound. "Jay!" She yelps out, the angel turning in a panic when suddenly they're gone and Belle can't see.
***
When her struggles finally still, she hears voices, one comfortingly familiar the other, not so much. "I rebelled, I was cast out. You rebelled, you were cast out. Almost all of heaven wants to see me dead, and if they succeed, guess what? You're their new public enemy number one. We're on the same side, like it or not, so why not just serve your own best interests? Which in this case just happen to be mine?" She hears a man say, voice low, threatening.
Looking down, Belle notice two things, one, she was not bound. Two, she was not in the clothes she'd entered with. No, she now wore a white flowing chiffon dress, that clung and splayed out at her waist, the sleeves flowing to her sides. Her feet were bare and weapons missing.
Walking out of the couch she was placed on, she hears the familiar crackling of fire. "I'll die first." Cas says angrily.
A honey slick voice answered smugly, "I suppose you will." Belle rounded the corner freezing as the man takes a step toward her direction spotting her immediately. "Oh, dearest Ecclesia."
Cas' head snaps over, eyes flashing brightly, "Lucifer let her go." He warns, as the devil takes a step toward her. Eyes watching her tauntingly.
"Why?" He asks, eyes creeping over the long flowing curls of her hair. "She is mine... and oh how beautiful she is." As he steps closer, Belle pulls back, face filled with disgust.
"Touch me and I'll find a way to beat you to death." To his benefit, the angel doesn't flinch, only looks at her with a level of interest and disappointment.
Lucifer clicks his tounge, taking another step, ignoring the protests of his brother as he backs the huntress into a wall. His blistering hands caressing her cheek, "now, let's have a chat in private, yes?"
***
With the group
Dean groaned as he walked with the group, Belle not answering her phone, "Well, this is great, been in town twenty minutes and already lost the angel up our sleeve." He glared at the phone in his hand, "Sorry, both angles."
His brother looked down, "You think," he trailed swallowing the lump building in his throat, "uh, you think Lucifer got them?"
"I don't know what else to think." He snapped, knowing that if Jaibrien was taken so was Belle. Before anyone could say anything, a sinister voice interrupted them.
"There you are." She called, eyes dark as she stood infront of the group, a smug smile consuming her expression.
Sam gaped, "Meg." The street stilled everyone drawing their weapons, readying for a fight.
"Shouldn't have come here, boys." Said demon calls, almost sympathetic, her words holding regret.
Dean rose the colt, aiming it to her head. "Hell," he smiled, "I could say the same thing for you."
"Didn't come here alone, Deano." Something splashes in a puddle near Meg's feet, dogs beginning to growl and bark. Sam, Ellen and Jo look for the source but Dean faulters, face wightening as fear consumes him.
"Hellhounds," he whispers grip tightening on the gun, knuckles white.
Meg smiles, catching his poorly hidden terror. "Yeah, Dean. Your favorite. Come on, boys. My father wants to see you."
Sam stepped up, a smile on his face, "I think we'll pass, thanks."
The demon's face falls, disappointment filling her, "Your call. You can make this easy or you can make it really, really hard." She warns, tensing.
Looking back to Ellen, Dean waits for her nod before smirking, "When have you known us to ever make anything easy?" Cocking the gun and firing at the space beside Meg, a whine sounds, blood dripping down an invisible mass.
"Run!" Sam shouts, the dogs springing into a chase, a Hellhound tackles Dean and Jo spins on her heel hearing the grunts of him wrestling with the creature.
"Dean!" She yells, ignoring his sound of warning, Jo fires her shotgun in Dean's direction, Ellen and Sam stop stilling as they rush over to her. Jo keeps firing, knocking the hellhound further and further back, another dog tackled Jo ripping her torso open.
Ellen almost falls at the amount of grief and panic that crashed down on her, "No!" She screams, firing at the hellhound Sam joining in. Dean crawls over to the fallen womans side, scooping her up into a hold, taking cover in a nearby store.
Leaning the bleeding woman against a counter, Dean's heart stuttered at the whimper she let out. Ellen ran to her daughter's side as Sam stayed back to chain the door shut. Diving down to Jo's side, she tried to soothe her bleeding child. "Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, breathe now." She hushes, the other two rushing to secure the building with salt. "Boys!" She yelled out, when they stilled, "need some help here!"
They quickly finish creating the salt circle, joining the two women at the back of the store, the horror only grew when Ellen removed her hand and the wound spurted blood all over the floor.
In that moment they knew, that not all of them will get out of here alive.
Yesterday we had feared a doom we did not know; today the doom was known by us all, and feared no less.
-Robin McKinley