บท 3: 3
And then we were there. Outside in front of a small farmhouse, tucked away in a long-forgotten field surrounded by lush trees. The one-story home looked old, almost as forgotten as the space around it, had it not been for the freshly washed '97 Impala that sat outside the attached garage, and the mostly clean porch that wrapped the front. The blue siding had yellowed and the brown paint chipped off the windows and front door. An old brick smokestack stood out from one side, though it was too warm right now to have lit the fireplace inside so no smoke rose from the top. It was quaint. Something perfect for a hunter family.
It was odd to look at it for the first time. I still half imagined to think of my brother and appear at a dirty motel room down the I-90. It was still weird to imagine them anywhere but the bunker or on the road. It was almost like I had just never expected them to settle. But here we were, cozy and hidden from the world.
I took a deep breath as I started for the front door. I was too nervous to look behind me, instead just hoping at least one of them followed in my footsteps. I was trying to work myself up to knocking and had reached my hand up to do so when the door opened for me. Wide candy apple green eyes stared at me. The tussled dirty blonde hair I had grown up with, now streaked with grey, had traveled down his face in an impressive amount of scruff. He stood in a mostly buttoned flannel and a rough-looking pair of sweatpants as if we had woken him up from a nap at two in the afternoon.
"Hey, Dean." I tried to smile, the nerves bubbling in my gut, "Miss me?"
A shaky finger pointed in my face. "Who the fuck are you?" Dean's voice was gravily We really must have woken him. "You sure as shit ain't Alex."
"I promise it is, Dean. I haven't changed that much, have I?" I tried to joke, laughing nervously. What was I supposed to say? "I…uh…I can prove it if you want. I know things about you only Cas would…"
"What were the first things I said to you?" He interrupted me.
"What?" I asked, not fully certain he was serious.
"What did I say to you when we first met." It wasn't a question this time. And I could tell by how cold those green eyes were just how serious he was.
I bit my lip, thinking, even though I knew the answer perfectly well. "You said 'You're not welcome here. You never will be and we'll never love you.' You thought you'd scare me away with that speech. Make me feel unwelcome and I'd disappear into the night." I smiled. "Good to know you were wrong, huh?"
It was almost a surprise when he threw his arms around me. But then it was comforting. Like this warm embrace was part of the missing puzzle. I let myself sigh into him and take the touch I had so desperately missed.
"We burned your body." Dean sniffled. "How are you here?"
I pushed away from his chest, just enough to look at his face again. Too many emotions to name passed through those green eyes now. "It's a long story, and one you're not going to like too much." I knew it was time to be honest with him. He deserved it. "Can we go inside?"
"We?" Dean asked, looking past me to finally take in the rest. "Elly? I thought we…"
"You did." She said, stepping up behind us. "She came to get us. Seemed pretty important. It's good to see you, Dean."
He smiled, his eyes warm and inviting. "You can come in." He said, finally releasing me and ushering us into the house. "But Lucifer stays outside."
The smirk spread across my face as I felt the fallen angel's eyes burn into my back. I followed Dean inside the small house, Elly following behind. I turned around to look at Ally but she still seemed to be processing everything she'd just seen, so I let her be. Elly would be enough to get me out of this alive.
Once inside the door, I was almost surprised to see how normal it still looked. The door opened up into a living room that was separated from a small kitchen and dining room by a half wall. A small hall ran its way between the living room and kitchen, and looking down it, I could just see into a bedroom, the flannel sheets unmade on the bed and a pile of clothes on the floor. There were two other doors, one on either side of the hall, and I assumed one of them led to another bedroom and the other a bathroom. This place was too cozy for them. But it did still feel perfect for a pair of hunters who were rarely home to do the dishes or laundry.
"Take a seat, Cas and Jack went out practicing so they won't be back for a while," Dean said as he walked past a leather couch and sat on the coffee table that was across from it.
"Ah, that's actually why we came. We needed to talk to Jack." I started.
"We can talk about that after you explain how you're still alive." He leaned forward onto his knees. Something he always did when he was waiting for the truth. Something he'd picked up from John.
I sighed and took a careful seat on the couch across from him, sitting as close to the edge as I could in case I needed to bolt. "You're not gonna like it, Dean." I felt the couch dip next to me as Elly sat as well. It gave me some confidence to have her there. "Crowley brought me back."
"So it was a deal then?" Dean asked, "That doesn't take five years to explain."
"That's just it, Dean. I'd made the deal before I died. The reason I came back so often in the first place had to do with this very deal." It felt so hard to say the words I should have told him ages ago. "He gave me a limited number of lives, and once they were gone, I was to take his place…"
"Take his place?" He looked puzzled. "In Hell?"
"Ya." I gulped.
"So what? You're a demon now?"
"Yes." There was no point in any secrets anymore. It was time he knew everything. Even if it meant putting a rift between us.
"But you knew…" He seemed to be stumped for a second.
"Because I'm still me, Dean." I sighed. "The only thing that changed is that I'm not…human anymore."
"Then you should be dead." I watched as his hand tensed on his thigh.
"Hang on. I'm not here to…"
The words were stopped in my throat as a glass of water was thrown into my face. The burning of the holy liquid was immediate and I closed my eyes as my skin reacted. "Son of a bitch!" My hands went to my face, desperate to wipe the liquid away and regain my vision. "Do you just carry a fucking cup of holy water around on purpose?!"
"Dean!" I felt Elly move from my side. "That was uncalled for!"
"Did you know?!" He yelled now.
"Yes! And I gave her time to explain herself before I decided whether or not I wanted to kill her!" It was nice ot hear her defend me. She had always been good at that. "The jury is still out on the last part, but right now I have no reason to kill her."
"The lack of monsters, Dean." I coughed, the holy water had dripped into my mouth, making my throat sore. "The rare ones appearing. I know you've noticed them."
Dean was silent. I wiped the acidic liquid from an eye enough to open it and look at him, sure the orb was black. He stood in front of me, an angel blade in hand, ready to be done with me. But he hadn't taken that step yet.
"What about them?" The anger stirred in his voice.
"I'm trying to stop it, Dean. End them all." I sat up, shaking the rest of the water from myself. "I have a small team working on it."
"A team? I thought demons only cared for themselves and the souls they tortured." Dean scoffed. "Since when does Hell care about the lack of monsters?"
"It doesn't. I've collected a small group of hunters over the last few years. They form the group that hunts down and kills these new or rare monsters that are cropping up." I cleared my throat, "They're also the reason the vamp and wolf counts are staying down. We're trying to rid the whole world of monsters, Dean."
He laughed. "You should know that's too good to be true. The damn Brits already tried that." He swung the blade around in his hand, making me nervous.
"That was before the numbers were as low as they are now." I stood, putting my hand gently on the one of his that held the blade. "You have noticed, haven't you? I can't be the only one that's suddenly killed a couple of dragons or a Selkie."
The knife dropped from his hand, falling softly onto the carpet. "Cas and I took down a nest of giant spiders last week. And before that a group of half-bat women." It was good to know he knew I was right.
"Arachne and probably the Minyades." I nodded. "That's what we're trying to stop. We're trying to take the rare ones out completely as they come to the surface and keep the others from taking over again. And then wipe out every last one."
"Take monsters out of the states." Dean laughed, "That's bold."
"Not just the states, Dean. That's just the start." I put my hand on his shoulder. "Everywhere. Completely monster-free." I smiled at him. "That's what we need you, Cas, and Jack for."
"You better have another plan." He crossed his arms over his chest. "The six of us are barely gonna make a dent in anything."
"We have my daughter. She could be able to help." Elly threw out, her eyes fierce as they stayed on Dean. "Another reason we need Jack."
Dean's eyes wandered over Elly, studying her for the first time. I imagined this was when he noticed she wasn't the same young girl that we had seen only five years ago. "You have a daughter? With that thing?"
Elly huffed. "Yes, with him. Which means we have an extra Nephilim to work with now, ya asshole." She rolled her eyes at Dean's chuckle. "I can always take them and go back home if you'd prefer that. We do have a life to get back to outside of all this."
Dean carefully sat back down on the edge of the coffee table, his expression tired now. Ha had gotten older too. He was forty-three now, and it showed. We had been through a lot of shit together in the past, but how much more could he take?
"What about Lucifer?" He asked, the bigger question clear to all of us. He's caused trouble before. What means he won't now?
"He'll be on his best behavior." I supplied, I shook my shirt off carefully, getting rid of the last of the water before sitting down again. "You don't have to worry about that."
"Would you like to ask them to come inside, Elly?" Dean said softly, a hand gently rubbing his temples before working down to the beard on his face.
"Not a chance," She huffed again. The gesture was almost threatening. "You can invite them in if you want them here."
"Elly. It's ok." I tried, gently placing a hand on her leg.
She looked at me, her eyes sharp and protective, but let a breath of air out through her nose and nodded. Then she stooped to pick the blade up off the carpet and stood in front of Dean. She reached forward, ignoring Dean's protest, and reached into his shirt, pulling a pistol from a hidden holster against his chest. She then dropped to her knees and pulled up both of his pant legs, removing two more knives from velcro strips around his ankles. She stood back up then, all weapons in her hands or tucked under her arms, and held out an impatient hand.
Dean rolled his eyes. "You don't wanna get that one for me too?" He asked sarcastically as he pulled a clear vile of liquid from his pocket. He placed it in her hand and gave her a sassy smile.
Elly nodded sharply, seemingly approving before leaving the small room, taking everything with her. I felt small as she left me there, Dean's stare burning into me just as the holy water had done. He kept his hand over his mouth now, eyes deep in thought.
"Have..uh…have you and Cas been doin' well?" I tried to small talk. "And Jack?"
"Cut the crap, Alex." His tone was sharp. "I'll have a long talk with Cas when he gets back. If he says one word against you, you'll never be allowed on my property again. Got it?"
I nodded and swallowed the lump that had been forming in my throat. Who had I been kidding? I knew to expect exactly this. It was the biggest reason I hadn't gone to him yet. Maybe we should have gone to see Sam first. I had always been able to win him over easier. Dean was a different creature, hard set in the old ways he got from John. I knew he had tried hard to break them but it seemed they were as stuck as he was now.
I could see the conflict in his normally bright green eyes as it turned them dark and clouded. It was like he wasn't sure of his own words, even if he felt they were right. A breath of air came into the room as Elly returned, family in tow. She didn't seem to be carrying any of the weapons anymore, and it made me think that she had probably thrown them in a bush outside.
"Dean." Elly started calmly. It looked like Lucifer had been able to talk her out of fight mode. "This is my daughter, Ally."
"Thanks, mom." The young girl grumbled, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She stepped closer to Dean and stuck her hand out. He rose carefully to his feet again and took it, shaking it firmly. "It's nice to meet you. Sorry if it sounds weird, but I feel like I already know everything about you."
Dean looked from Elly's carbon copy to the original. "She's seen it then?" Elly nodded. "Good." He moved his focus to the fallen angel that lurked behind them. "Lucifer."
"Dean," Lucifer said in the same tone. There was a bright new aura around him. Had he already regained that much grace?
"Cas and Jack should be home soon." Dean's voice tightened like he was trying hard to accept the devil into his home. "Make yourself at home."
Ally came and sat next to me. She seemed to be in a better mood today than she had been. Hopefully, that meant things were setting in for her. She reminded me a lot of Claire, just as Elly had. Strongly opinionated, took quick to jump into the game, and didn't take any shit from anyone. She would do exactly what we wanted if she wanted to do it.
"What happened to you?" Lucifer snorted as he took in my still-damp shirt. "Get a little wet?"
"Shut up angel dust," I grumbled, watching Elly lean into him as he sat next to her.
I caught his eyes as she did, they looked so dull as they looked over her, but a new shine came over them as he caught my stare. I smiled at him. I had the devil wrapped around my finger again. Even though a part of me felt so wrong for doing this to him, to Elly. It would tear the whole family apart. But on the other hand, it felt so good to be near him again, and I couldn't find myself caring what it did to them.
"So you're a Nephilim?" Dean questioned, bringing my attention back to him as he carefully sat across from us again. His attention was fully on Ally now.
"I guess so." She scratched her head and sighed. "I kinda just found out."
"Oh great." Dean huffed, throwing his arms into the air. "You never bothered to tell her?"
"There hadn't been a need to," Lucifer explained, his tone small but strong.
"So she has no control over her abilities yet. And we have no time to fully train her." Dean's hand went to his bread again, as if it had become a new comfort.
"Again, that's why we wanted Jack," I said carefully. "An older Nephilim teaching a new one. It would help a lot."
"I already know a lot about hunting between the show and the books in the study, so we can skip those basics." Ally had a bubbly smile now. "And I've taken some classes with my dad."
Elly shot upright. "What do you mean 'the books in the study'?"
"Did you think I had no idea about the study? I've probably read a good chunk of those books. I used to read when I couldn't sleep." Ally explained, meeting her mother's disapproving gaze head-on. "I thought it was just a bunch of stupid mythology stuff. I never thought any of it was real."
"Classes?" It was my turn to ask the questions.
She nodded. "Ya, Dad and I took self-defense classes and he's taken me to the shooting range a few times."
"You know how to use a gun?" Dean questioned, a tone of relief coming forth.
"I'm not the best, but I know which way to point it and how to hold one." Ally shrugged. She looked at her parents again. "It all makes a lot more sense now too. I looked crazy because I was the only girl in school who could take down a guy two times her size in gym class. And we have like a whole room stuffed to the brim with salt. I mean who needs that much salt? I'm not as blind as you thought I was. We have never been a normal family."
"We never thought you were blind," Elly whispered.
"Oh, save it," Ally said, her focus on Dean again. She smiled at him. "What do we need to do?"
It was almost like she had taken a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn from last night. There was still a bit of fear and nervousness in her demeanor, but it stayed out of her words and she seemed ready to do whatever she needed to. She almost seemed excited about it, like this was all some sort of new challenge for her to overcome. Something physically and mentally demanding enough that it would keep all of her busy.
There was a flutter of wings before any of us could speak again, and two other figures joined us in the already cramped room. Castiel still stood tall in his dress clothes, tie, and trenchcoat. It was nice to see a constant in this ever-changing world. And Jack had changed, though it was very little. But he looked taller, and a bit more built. He took after Dean's fashion sense, dressed in a ragged flannel with a t-shirt underneath and beat-up jeans. But the kind smile was still on his face, even when he noticed his father.
"Lucifer," Cas stated, his voice ever deep and gravelly.
"Castiel." Lucifer greeted similarly. Elly shifted uncomfortably away from Lucifer as he turned to his son. "Jack."
Jack's gray eyes held curiosity as he took in Lucifer. "Dad."
Lucifer smiled at the young boy. I could only imagine he had been waiting for this reunion for quite some time. He might have even believed he would never get it.
"Let's not get all chummy, alright?" Dean got to his feet once again and pulled Cas with him, down the hall and into their room, closing the door behind.
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked, left behind to question us. "All of you."
"We need help hunting," I answered, getting to my feet. I needed to be ready to blip out if the welcome was no longer extended.
"But you're alive? How? We burned your body and what's burned stays dead." Jack repeated Dean's words. They had taught him well.
"It's a long story, Jack." I laughed nervously. "I'd prefer to repeat it once we have everyone together."
"It's nice to see you, Elly," Jack said, satisfied with my answer and turning away from me.
"You too, Jack." Elly looked so visibly uncomfortable now. Like she needed to focus off of herself. "Jack, this is my daughter. We thought you two might like to get acquainted."
"Daughter?" Jack questioned, looking over Ally for the first time. The young girl's face was covered in an awkward blush and she didn't meet his gaze. "Are you her…" Jack pointed at Lucifer, who nodded. His face changed to one of realization before turning back to Ally. "So we're…"
"It's nice to meet you, Jack," Ally said softly.
I took another step towards the door as I heard Cas and Dean coming back. It was a weird feeling to be so afraid of my brother.
"Dean has informed me of the situation," Cas stated, his hands clasped in front of himself. "We will be playing it by ear." Dean gave a small smile as Cas talked like he was happy Cas was using a new term correctly. "But as of right now, we are happy to have you back and happy to help."
"Should we reconvene at the bunker then?" I asked, still nervous even if a truce had been waved.
"The bunker? It got toasted." Dean said.
"I fixed it up the best I could." I took another step back, stopping when Elly took my hand and gave it a protective squeeze.
"Do you know where Sam is now?" Elly asked, changing the subject. I would have to thank her for taking the pressure off me.
"I'll go grab him. It would probably be better to hear things from me anyway." Dean nodded.
"I'll be sure to have some beers waiting." I laughed nervously.
Elly looked up at me, confused as I pulled on her hand gently. It would've been too hard to explain to her just how badly I didn't want to be here anymore. Especially now that there were two more things here that could kill me on the spot if they wanted to. Lucifer was one thing, but dealing with Cas had always been another. I never wanted to fight him if I could help it. Maybe it was that he reminded me of Cael. Not in a physical way, but in the way neither of them would give up until they were on their hands and knees dying.
"We'll see you later then," Jack said, smiling. I was sure he wasn't reading the room correctly, but he could have also just been trying to lighten the mood.
"Great. See you later." I nodded, immediately turning to leave the house. I needed out. Out of the tense air. Out of the danger zone of three powerful beings and a brother I was sure wouldn't think twice the next time.
"What the Hell was that?" Elly asked, quick in her steps to follow me out and down the porch steps. "I've never seen you so scared. Even when you went face to face with a werewolf."
"I didn't want another face full of holy water," I answered. I didn't stop walking. It was clear I was no longer invited, not that I wanted to be here any longer anyway.
"Sure, that was shitty. I can agree to that." Elly tried to grab my hand again. "But you were shaking in your boots. They said they'd help, isn't that what you wanted?"
"If you do not shut the fuck up I am going to leave you all behind." I snapped, turning around. Elly stopped in her tracks, almost stumbling as she came face to face with me. The rest of her family waited behind her with Jack as he trailed behind, talking to Ally. "This is not something I am willing to discuss more." I hissed.
"Your hair looks cute longer." Elly teased, but the fear of me was clear in her eyes. I knew she was only trying to be funny but it just pissed me off so much more.
"You coming with us, Jack?" I called.
"If that's fine with you." He answered brightly.
I snapped my fingers, and we were all back in the bunker. I could just make out Jack telling Ally "You'll be able to do that too." as we landed.
"Really?" She asked excitedly.
I didn't wait to hear any more of their conversation and raced from the room. This had suddenly become all too much for me to handle. I ran into my room and slammed the door behind me, locking it before going further and into my bathroom.
My hands took to the sink as I stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes were still black coals. How long had they been like that? It didn't matter. What mattered now was the hair that had grown down to tickle my ears. I hadn't put much thought into it for a while now, too busy with other things. But now, Elly's comment sat front and center in my mind, and it pissed me the fuck off. I couldn't think of a time I had been so pent up recently. It had become normal to get angry at the smallest of things. It had to be the demon that now pumped through my veins.
But regardless of what it was. I wanted her gone. All she had ever done was care for me and make me smile, and now I wanted nothing more than to hurt her. I wanted her to go through the same Hell I had and this feeling was not going to go away easily.
I ripped open several drawers in front of the sink, not sure what I was looking for until the scissors were already in my hand. I took the blades and began to cut off all the new growth.
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