Redemption (4/11)

Banner By: Mara

Chapter Three

February
Carthage, Missouri
Chapter 4



Jo was furious. She was going to kill that red haired, holier than thou, bitch of an Angel. She tried the door again, but no luck. The windows were next and after pulling at it for a solid five minutes, hands raw from the wood, she stepped back and stomped her foot. “ARGH! You come back here you stupid Angel. Where the hell am I?”

When there was no answer Jo grit her teeth together, turned around and froze. Standing in front of her eyes wide was a scruffy looking guy with dark hair. She reached toward the waist band of her jeans and when her hand didn’t curl around her knife, her temper rose.

She glanced up at the ceiling, face slightly tinged red as she screamed. “And you took my fucking weapons?”

Jo gave a disgusted sneer as she glanced warily at the man in front of her. He let out a nervous laugh. “You’re Jo…Jo Harvelle.”

She glared at him and he continued speaking nervously fumbling over his words. “Uh, I’m Chuck…I’m a…a prophet.”

Jo frowned. “A prophet?”

He nodded and motioned around him. “I was brought here by that Anna chick a few days ago. Something about a safe house? But who really knows right? I mean I didn’t write any of this. Dean was supposed to find you in Lawrence, but they switched things up again. Heh, for Angels these guys sure do like to go off script a lot huh?”

Jo raised an eyebrow. She was still stuck on the prophet part. There was skepticism in her voice when she spoke. “You’re a prophet?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I write the Supernatural books.”

Her brows furrowed. “Supernatural books?”

Chuck nodded sympathetically. “Ah, that’s right you’ve kinda been out of the loop these past few years huh? What with raising William and goin on your own hunts every now and then. You know I actually started a spin off series called Supernatural: The Prodigy, but with everything going on now, I didn’t have a chance to show it to my publisher yet.”

He spoke fast and Jo didn’t have the faintest idea what to say. “Uh, okay?”

He nodded. “Well at least you’re not mad. I mean when Dean found out…boy was he pissed! Thankfully Castiel wouldn’t let him kill me, not that he would have cause you know Dean. He’s hell on wheels, but he doesn’t kill humans and…”

Jo put up a hand and let out a frustrated sigh. It was just too much information at once. “Do you ever shut up? Look Chuck was it?”

He nodded as she walked around what looked to be the living room checking everything out.

“Do you know where we are? Or better yet what we’re doing here and why we can’t get out?”

Chuck pointed to the ceiling. “The Angels, they brought us here. According to Anna this place, while it’s our own little prison is also impenetrable. No demon or fallen Angels can sense our presence or locate us through magic.”

Shock crossed Jo’s face momentarily before she shook it off and creased her brow. “Did she tell you all this?”

He nodded.

“Why couldn’t she just say that to me then?”

Chuck hesitated momentarily before shrugging. “To be honest she doesn’t really like you no offense. I mean you’re great, badass hunter I gottta say and so hot…”

Jo shot him a look that could kill and he let out that nervous laugh again as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Uh yeah, but anyway it’s the thing between her and Dean and well then there’s you the one who got away and she died for Dean and all so you know how that goes.”

Jo straightened and was surprised by the tinge she felt in her chest with the news that Anna and Dean had something going on. Before she could ask Chuck anything he was speaking again.

“Oh, no it’s nothing to worry about really. You and Dean end up together, well you did end up together in my books, but then recently, things changed and uh, you know what I bet you’re hungry.”

Chuck started to walk out of the living room when Anna appeared in the doorway. He jumped, startled by her sudden appearance. “Oh god, why must you Angels do that?”

Anna rolled her eyes as she looked toward Jo, who at the moment didn’t look happy at all.

“Where are my weapons? And all my stuff?”

Anna motioned to the other room. “Most likely in the other room, it’s not like I had a lot of time to get you here.”

Jo crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Anna. “Why am I here?”

Anna’s jaw clenched and Chuck watched as her eyes turned to slits as she watched Jo. “Because right now here is the safest place for you.”

“Where is here?”

Anna sighed. “Carthage, Missouri. Listen I don’t have time to sit here and answer all your questions. I have a job to do. There’s food, clothes, a bathroom. Everything you need until it’s time to move you. I just came to check in and since you’re both fine, I have to go.”

Anna turned and Jo called out. “Where’s Dean?”

Her back tensed and she turned to face Jo. “He’s with your son and Castiel.”

“I need to find him.”

“It’ll have to wait.”

“Listen I don’t know who you think you are but…”

Anna cut her off and spoke with anger in her voice. “I’m the person who brought you back to life, who saved your soul. So you’ll do whatever I ask you to do. Understood.”

Jo’s jaw ticked. “No, sorry. That might have worked on Dean, but I’m nobody’s bitch. So you can go ahead, fly away and tell your superiors that.”

Chuck was getting nervous as he watched the two women get closer to each other as they spoke. This wasn’t going to end well if he didn’t break things up. “Uh ladies, maybe we should I don’t know take a step back and think about why we’re all here. Anna, does Jo know why you brought her back? Does she know her part in all this because I’m still kind of unclear why I’m here also.”

Anna opened her mouth, closed it, and her whole body tensed and she focused her energy on the area around them. She spoke in a quiet voice. “Move away from the windows, and don’t say a word.”

Jo and Chuck glanced at each other before reluctantly listening to her words. Right as they gathered in the middle of the room Jo caught sight of people outside milling about the old house. One glance at their eyes and she knew they were demons.

She swallowed hard as Anna spoke softly. “They sense something is off with the house, but they don’t know what it is. They’ll be gone in a few minutes. I have to go my presence here is making it worse. I’ll be back.”

“But…”

And Anna was gone. Jo’s shoulders deflated and Chuck motioned to the other room. “There’s only one small window in the kitchen. We should go in there.”

“Lead the way.” Jo followed Chuck into the kitchen hoping that wherever Dean was he was having better luck on his end than she was.


______

Dean pulled the Impala up to Bobby’s house and parked. William was bouncing around in the backseat and Dean sighed. It took them about six hours to make their way to Bobby’s and William had been hyper the whole way.

His son threw the door open and ran towards the stairs as Dean grabbed the bags. He pushed the trunk closed before they followed him up the steps. Castiel stood next to Dean as William rang the bell. Seconds later the door opened revealing Ellen.

She seemed startled to see them standing there. Dean watched as a grin slid onto his son’s face as he tossed his small body at Ellen. “Grandma!’

She chuckled and hugged him tight. “Hey there kiddo. I didn’t know you guys were stopping by, everything okay?”

She looked up at Dean, worry on her face and he nodded.

“Everything’s fine Cas just needs to talk to Bobby.”

Ellen moved aside and motioned for them to come in. “Well come on then, get your butts in here.”

They moved inside Castiel closing the door behind him as Dean leaned over and gave Ellen a hug. She smiled at him and wiped some dust off his shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”

She frowned. “You been eatin enough boy? Looks like you lost a few pounds.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, why was that you offering to feed me? Cause I never turn down food you know that. William’s probably hungry too. Kids got an appetite like…”

“You?” Dean glared.

“Haha very funny.”

She smirked as they moved into the living room. Bobby was sitting at his desk, several books scattered in front of him. William jumped in the room and called out to him. “Grandpa Bobby!”

His head shot up and he grinned at the five-year-old. “Well if it isn’t my favorite Winchester.”

Dean snorted. “Thanks a lot Bobby…”

Bobby pulled William into a hug as he laughed at the look on Dean’s face. Dean watched as William sat on Bobby’s lap, scrunched his brows together and leaned over his books. “You readin’ about monsters Grandpa Bobby?”

“Somethin’ like that. So what brings the three musketeers to my door?”

William giggled and Castiel frowned. “We are not musketeers.”

Dean shook his head. “It’s an expression Cas.”

Castiel nodded, took a step toward Bobby, opened his mouth, and froze. His stare at the old leather bound book to the right of Bobby’s desk. The Angel’s eyes widened as he strode over to it and when he lifted the book a bright light flashed and was gone a second latter.

All eyes were on Castiel, but he looked pointedly at Bobby. William was wide-eyed as he looked at the book. “Whoa…do it again Cas!”

He ignored Dean’s son as he spoke to Bobby in a hard voice. “Where did you get this?”

Dean frowned and Bobby motioned for William to get down. He did and went over by Ellen who put an arm around him.

“Do you know what it is?”

Castiel’s brow creased. “Robert, this is important. Where did you get this book?”

He let out a sigh and shrugged. “I dunno. Earlier today when Ellen ran out to get food I found it on my bookshelf. I tried to read it, but a lot of the passages are in an old language.”

Castiel nodded. “Aramaic.”

“Huh?”

“That is the language a great deal of this text is in. You do not understand. I need to know how you came across this book. It is imperative for me to acquire that information.”

Bobby frowned and Dean crossed his arms over his chest. “Why Cas? What’s going on?”

He glanced between Dean and Robert before taking a deep breath and explaining.

“Prior to the eighteenth century, the Book of Enoch was believed to be irretrievably lost. It was composed long before the birth of Christ, and considered to be one of the most important pieces of mystical literature. It was only known from fragments and from references, but people were able to put it together.”

His brow furrowed.

“The book itself was said to be a legend, but a few Angels who knew it was not made sure to place bits of it around the globe, with the addition of fake prophecies to discredit the work to humans. Then the real prophecies were bound together in one book and hid so no one would find it, because should it fall into the wrong hands, the world would as we know it would be destroyed.”

Dean groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you telling me that the book you’re holding in your hand right now can destroy the world?”

Castiel nodded. “Not the book itself, but the information that the book holds. These prophecies are supposed to tell of the end of days in detail, letting anyone who wants to either stop it or start it know exactly what to do and where to do it.”

Bobby cut in, disbelief on his face. “Supposed to…you mean you haven’t read it? You’re not sure?”

Castiel paused. “I was not one of the Angel’s in charge of this mission.”

Dean frowned. “So how do we know it’s even true? It could all be a big hoax.”

Castiel shook his head a fierce look on his face. “Heaven would not have gone through so much trouble to keep this book safe if there was nothing of importance in it. Something is wrong.”

Dean watched as a mixture of concern and confusion crossed Castiel’s face. The Angel shook his head. “I am getting nothing from them. It is time to go visit the address you received from your friend in Kansas. I have a strong feeling this is somehow all connected.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I know what’s at that address.”

Castiel looked up from the book and glanced around the room until his eyes settled on Dean. “That house was erected and built on sacred soil to protect the Prophet Chuck during the apocalypse.”

Dean groaned. “Chuck? Why is Missouri sending me to see Chuck? I’m sure he would have called if something new popped up.”

“I do not think she is the one sending you there. I am unsure of what is going on, but I have a thought of what it might be. Before I disclose my ponderings, I need to see if my theory is correct. I am asking you to trust me Dean, as you have so many times before asked me to do in you. Trust that I will not steer you wrong.”

Dean sighed and nodded. He did trust Castiel with his life and his son’s. He knew the Angel wouldn’t steer him wrong intentionally, but they still needed to find Jo and figure out what the hell was wrong with Sam. Maybe Chuck would be able to help.

“Okay, let’s make it quick then.”

Castiel nodded. “We cannot drive there. It will bring too much unwanted attention. I will take us there.”

Dean winced. He hated traveling the Angel way, but he nodded. He glanced over at Ellen, William, and Bobby. “We’ll be back soon.”

William frowned and moved out of Ellen’s arms. “I’m ready.”

Dean hesitated before bending down to his son’s height. “Will…me and Cas are gonna handle this one while you stay with Grandma and Grandpa Bobby okay?”

He watched tears pool in William’s eyes and he cursed to himself. Dean gave him a week smile. “I’ll be back real soon buddy. I promise.”

A tear drifted down his cheek and his body tensed as he looked Dean in the eye. His voice came out in a whisper. “That’s what mom said too.”

Dean’s heart broke as his eyes teared up and he stood. “I’m going to find her. I swear I will and then I’ll make sure she keeps that promise, but I have to go…I love you son. ”

It took everything in him to turn away from his son and walk towards Castiel. William moved forward, tears coursing down his face. “Daddy don’t go!”

Dean turned, but Castiel’s hand was already on his head. The last thing he saw were the tears streaming down his son’s face as everything went black.

Chapter Five