Redemption (3/11)

Banner By: Mara

Chapter Two

February
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Chapter 3



“Damn it!” Ellen slammed the dusty old book shut. Bobby glanced up from reading, leaned back in his chair and looked at her. A small smile slid onto his face and Ellen glared at him.

“Somethin’ funny Bobby?” He chuckled lightly.

“You look like a petulant child sittin’ there like that. I know it’s frustrating Ellen, but we’ll find something…”

“And if we don’t? Things are getting worse Bobby. Dean’s more worried about Sam than he’s letting on. I can feel it. Somthin’ ain’t right.”

Bobby grunted. “Maybe you need to get out for a bit. Feel like makin’ a run for some food?”

Ellen knew Bobby was trying to help and she appreciated the distraction. She stood and stretched. “Sure. I could use a ride. You’ll call me if anything?”

He nodded. “Will do.”

She gave him a tired smile, grabbed her jacket, and turned to face him before she walked out of the door. “Any preferences for food?”

Bobby shook his head. “Anything but bacon cheeseburgers.”

Ellen chuckled as she made her way out the door. Bobby watched her go before tossing his book aside, getting up, and looking through the books on his book shelf. He fingered through them when he came to a large, dusty leather bound one that he didn’t remember ever seeing.

He frowned, lifted the book off the shelf, and brought it to the table. He wiped the dust off the front cover and the faded title caught his eye. The Book of Enoch. Bobby’s brow creased. He ran his hands over the book that seemed old, but was incredibly well preserved.

He slid his hand to the cover and as he flipped it open a gust of wind blew through the room. Bobby’s head shot up. He grabbed his shotgun from against the wall as his eyes searched the room for anything out of the ordinary.

There was a loud sound behind him and he spun quickly, gun pointed only to find one of his books on the floor and open. “What in the hell…”

His sentence trailed off as he slowly lowered his gun and made his way towards the fallen book. He bent down, picked it up, and stood. He shook his head and was about to close it when something on the page stood out. He squinted and his eyes widened as he read the passage briefly before glancing at the leather bound book on his desk.

“Well I’ll be dammed…” He’d just inadvertently stumbled on the Holy Grail of Apocryphic Literature and he had no clue where it had come from.


______

Dean pulled the Impala up to Missouri’s place and parked. He sighed as he glanced at the passenger seat. Castiel was out cold, which was odd. Usually the Angel never slept. Or at least Dean never saw him sleep. His eyes shifted to the review mirror where William was stretched across the seat.

Dean grinned. His son could sleep through anything…Dean missed those days. He reached over and shook Castiel lightly. His eyes popped open quickly and he sat up straight glancing around wildly. His eyes fell on Dean as he spoke. “Dean?”

Dean raised an eyebrow. “Uh…yeah?”

Castiel frowned and Dean chuckled. “Who else would I be?”

Castiel shrugged and glanced in the back seat at a snoring William. “I do not know. Are we here?”

Dean nodded. “Yup I’m gonna run inside see if Missouri is around. Can you stay out here with him?”

Castiel nodded. “I can.”

Dean got out of the car, walked up to the door, and right before he was about to knock it opened. He froze and Missouri glanced back at him. She looked tired and worn out. She gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You gonna stand out there all day? Well…come on then. Get your butt inside.”

Dean swallowed hard as he followed her inside. He glanced around as they walked through the foyer and frowned. It looked like a tornado had hit. Things were broken, pictures upturned and chairs askew. She motioned to the couch. He sat down and raised an eyebrow. “What happened here?”

Missouri’s face tensed and she hesitated before speaking. She wasn’t exactly sure how much she should tell him. There was a lot he needed to know, but too much at once could have him going off in the wrong direction and at the wrong people. “Sam paid me a visit yesterday…”

Dean’s eyes widened and she watched as his whole demeanor changed. “My brother did this?”

“We had a slight disagreement. He wanted some information I wasn’t willin’ to part with.”

Dean opened his mouth and then slammed it shut. He took another look around the place and swallowed hard. A sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. How could Sam do something like this to someone they knew. Someone who had helped them in the past? “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“What did he want to know?” She watched Dean closely as he waited for her answer and Missouri sighed.

“He wanted to know where Jo Harvelle was.”

“Do you know where Jo is?”

“Dean…”

“I came all the way here because you told Ellen you needed to talk to me. If you know where Jo is…just tell me. I don’t have time for this.”

Missouri could hear the anger in his voice, but she knew it wasn’t directed at her. Whatever she told Dean she needed to make sure he left town now. It had been a mistake asking him to come here. Had she originally known what was going on, she would never have called him. “I knew where she was, but she’s gone.”

Dean stood and paced the length of the room. “To where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Damn it!” He stopped pacing and faced her.

“Did you tell Sam where she was?”

“No, but it’s possible he was able to access the information.”

“How?”

Missouri swallowed hard and looked away from Dean as she spoke.

“He invaded my mind. I’m not sure which barriers he was able to break and which one’s held.”

When she glanced back at Dean there was shock and a slight tinge of disgust on his face.

“He invaded your mind? Since when does he have powers again? And what does that even mean?”

She felt waves of panic coming from Dean. He wasn’t sure whether to be disgusted with his brother or worried for him and she didn’t blame him. He plopped back down on the couch and she watched his body deflate as Dean dropped his head in his hands.

She reached out and placed a comforting hand against his arm. “I know it’s hard Dean, but don’t give up on your brother. He’s not himself right now.”

Dean glanced over at her and his brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean something isn’t right with your brother and if I were you I’d leave town now. There are more important things you need to be doing. Like finding that feisty blonde of yours. She’s in trouble and with everything that’s coming; the two of you are going to need each other.”

Dean frowned. With everything that’s coming? I don’t understand. Missouri please.”

Dean’s voice faltered and she saw the vulnerability on his face, open and honest for once. “I can’t help anyone if I don’t know what’s going on. How am I supposed to find Jo? What kind of trouble?”

She opened her mouth and hesitated before writing an address down on a piece of paper and handing it to him. He took it and confusion filled his face. Before he could say anything she spoke in a soft voice. “If you want to know what’s going on, go to that address. If he’s willing too, he should be able to fill you in.”

“I don’t recognize the address.”

“No, but trust me, you’ll recognize the person staying there. Go now, and hurry Dean. There isn’t much time.”

Dean opened his mouth, shut it, stood, and nodded. He turned and started to make his way down the hall before stopping and twisting in Missouri’s direction. “Thank you…and, I’m…I’m sorry, you know about what Sam did.”

She feel the guilt flowing in waves out of Dean and she shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

He gave her a tight smile before continuing down the hall and out the door. She sighed and leaned back in her seat as Anna emerged from the shadows.

“Do you think he’ll go?”

Missouri turned and glared at the Angel. “I’m sure he’ll check it out before he does.”

She nodded and made her way towards the long hallway. Missouri’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“What you’re doing is wrong. No matter the motive and even if you think you’re helping. Interfering with things down here…it can cause more trouble than it’s worth. He won’t be happy when he learns you’re the one who’s been giving her the visions.”

Anna turned and stood silently watching the reader for several moments before speaking.
“I’m protecting her. If I hadn’t been sending her those visions Sam would have found her a long time ago. When Azazel killed her, and they brought her back, something went wrong. We aren’t sure what, but now they can sense her, just as she can sense them.”

Missouri went to speak, but Anna cut her off. “I don’t need to justify my actions to you. All you need to know is that my concern is for the good of mankind.”

“And where does your concern leave the Winchester brothers? And Dean’s family?”

Anna sighed and it was the first time Missouri saw emotion cross the stoic Angel’s face. There was a brief flash of pain in her eyes when she spoke.

“If Dean can’t bring his brother back before he makes his final move, make him see reason, then Sam is going to have to be a casualty of this war. Last time he was naïve and he played right into Lucifer’s hands. You would have thought he’d learned his lesson, but obviously not. This time we can’t afford to take that chance.”

She took a deep breath and looked Missouri in the eyes. “If Sam kills Jo, Azazel will no doubt get a hold of William and if that happens…this world will end. No second chances. Once Azazel has what he wants the only way to save this world will be if Dean takes the Angel Sword and stabs his son through the heart. So if you feel what I’m doing is too severe by all means figure out another way to do it, but until then I have a job to do.”

Missouri’s face was pale with shock and Anna nodded curtly. “That’s what I thought.”

Before Missouri had a chance to say anything Anna was gone, leaving the room with a cold and foreboding sense of pain to come.


______

Castiel sat quietly in the car waiting for Dean, when he heard a whimper from the backseat. He shifted in his seat and glanced at William with a frown. His brow was creased as sweat pooled on his forehead. His body tossed back and forth on the seat until he shot up screaming.

“MOM!”

Castiel reached out to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm. “It is alright William, relax.”

His eyes were wide, breaths coming in quick gasps as he faced Castiel. William swallowed hard and climbed over the seat before plopping down next to the Angel. He looked at him and when his bottom lip quivered Castiel patted his head softly.

“You are alright. It was a nightmare. Nothing will harm you while your care is in my hands.”

William nodded, his voice was quiet. “I know.”

“Do you wish to speak about the dreams?”

He shrugged and stayed silent. Castiel did not push. The youngest Winchester was much like his father when it came to speaking about his mother. Throughout their five month journey William held seldom spoke of her outside of fond memories or likes and dislikes.

He held everything else close to his heart, just like Dean. Castiel’s thoughts were interrupted by William’s calm voice. “I saw someone hurting her.”

Castiel’s brows furrowed. “Who?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t see his face, but he was holding his hand up and Mom was pinned against the wall…screaming. When Dad tried to help her, he was thrown across the room by nothing. She cried so loud. Cas…is my mom going to be okay?”

Castiel still struggled with emotions, but being on the road with Dean and William had helped a great deal. He sighed and gave William a hint of a smile.

“From what your father says, your Mom is a strong woman. She is fierce, loyal, and from what I know a capable hunter. I believe in your father. If he says that he will not let anything happen to Joanna then I have no doubt that he is correct. She will keep herself safe until we come for her, do not worry William.”

William wiped his eyes and nodded as he leaned against the seat of the Impala and moved closer to Castiel. Something inside the Angel pulled at his heart when he felt the child’s head lean on him. It was hard to determine what it meant, but he was positive of one thing. He’d let no harm come to him, because he cared about him.

Dean came barreling down the stair of the house not ten minutes later, paper clutched in his hand, scowl on his face. He made it to the impala, opened the door, slid in and glanced at Castiel and William. He watched his son sit up quickly with an anxious look on his face. “Did you find mom?”

Dean shook his head as he started the car. “No, but I’ve got an address that we should have Bobby check out before heading there.”

William sighed. “I’m hungry.”

Dean glanced at his son and noticed the worn down look on his face. Keeping him on the road, running around at all hours, it was wrong. He looked at Castiel who raised an eyebrow at him. Dean cleared his throat and William looked at him.

“How about we grab some take out and pie and head to Grandpa Bobby’s for a bit. I need to talk to him about some stuff and you can spend some time with grandma.”

William gave Dean half a smile. “Okay, but what about mom?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her. I promise. Now hop that butt back into the backseat and buckle up.”

William laughed as he climbed back over the seat and Dean winced at what his sneakers might be doing to the upholstery. He handed the slip of paper to Castiel before pulling away from the curb and onto the road. Castiel frowned at the address on the paper. “Who gave you this address?”

“Missouri, why?”

“Where did she get it?”

“I didn’t have a chance to ask. Why?”

Castiel lowered his voice as to not worry William. “Something is not right. The only way a human could receive this address is with divine intervention, which I would have heard.”

Dean felt the beginnings of anger swell inside him. “You mean Angels? Cas…I won’t go through their shit again. If they’re plotting against us now’s the time to know, before shit hits the fan and we have a repeat of the apocalypse.”

William scrunched his nose as he listened to Castiel and his Dad talk. “Mom says shits a bad word, but you say it all the time. Can I say it too?”

“NO.”

They spoke in unison and a pout formed on his face.

“Fine, be that way.”

“Why don’t you listen to your iPod for a while?”

William frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why don’t you put on the radio?”

Dean grunted. “Because I’m talking to Cas. Now put them on runt and play that portable video game thing you have until we stop for food.”

William rolled his eyes but did what Dean said. As he slipped the headphones into his ears he grumbled something about stupid Dad’s and Dean shrugged to Castiel.

“So what do you think is going on?”

“I am unsure, but whatever it is we need to hurry to Robert Singer’s home.”

Dean nodded and pressed his foot harder against the pedal. Things were unraveling quickly and Dean’s hopes of finding Jo seemed to be getting slimmer and slimmer by the mile.

Chapter Four