Chapter Text
When I was a little girl, my mother would remind me each night before bed to open up my heart to God, for he was kind, merciful, and just.
Things changed when my father left a few years later, leaving her to raise me and my brothers in a little place on the edge of the Mojave Desert.
She never talked of a kind and merciful God again.
Instead, she spoke of a prophecy.
Of a time when all the world would be covered in darkness, and the fate of mankind would be decided.
One night, I finally got up to courage to ask my mother why God had changed, why he was so mad at his children.
'I don't know,' she said, tucking the covers around me, 'I guess he just got tired of all the bullshit.'
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It's been a week. Nothing has happened for a week. No hunts, no calls, nothing. It was bittersweet to Dean. They could finally just… drive. But something big had to be coming, something so large in scale that demons weren't coming topside and angels were no longer giving them cryptic messages. Cas hadn't even shown his face for the duration of the week. A month ago this would've been normal behaviour for him, but not now.
"Hey Sam, can you take a look at the map? Baby needs gas," The eldest Winchester said, his green eyes never leaving the so road in front of him. Sam pulled his gaze from the desert wasteland that rushed by, feeling utterly bored that even Dean's horrible music couldn't break it up. He sighed before pulling the map from the glove box, the crinkling of paper rather loud.
"Uh… I'm not sure where we are…"He said after a while, staring at the chaos that was red, blue and grey lines. He was about to say something else but let out a large gust of air, the seat belt pulling tight when the car jerked forward.
"What the fuck?!" Dean cried out, lightly tapping the wheel with the palms of his hands, "Come on baby, don't do this to me."
"Dean, there's a diner up ahead," Sam raised a finger to point it out, it was pale - most likely sun bleached - and covered in sand. The words 'Paradise Falls' dominated the roof, "It looks like they've got gas and a tool shed. Let's pull in there." Dean almost protested, but after seeing several people through the windows and a car with the hood up, the lower half of a person peeking out, he grunted in agreement. The impala had slowed down to a snail's pace and Dean felt himself strain to get it into the conjoined shed.
After the car rolled to a stop, the brothers stepped out of the vehicle, the dry desert air causing the elder to cough violently.
"Are you okay, mister?" Still coughing into his arm, Dean glanced at a boyish male, his accent strong. He was wiping calloused hands on his faded jeans, grease coming away like paint from a brush. He must've been the one working on the modern truck in the other shed.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," He bit out, wincing from the sharp scratch in his throat.
"Something the matter with your car?"
"Yes!" Sam cut in, his tall frame jumping in next to Dean, "Can you take a look at it? Maybe fix it? We'll pay!"
"Huh? No way! That's my baby!" Sam's older brother mumbled indignantly, but he quickly hushed him with a sharp nudge to his side. If the mechanic had heard him, he didn't let on and simply nodded.
"I can try to get her fixed up in a jiffy, but the price will be set when I'm done. You won't mind?" Dean huffed, but conceded, "Oh, uh, the name's Jeep." He held out a relatively clean hand out for the brothers to shake, which they did.
"Dean. You scratch her you die."
"Sam."
"Nice to meet ya, Sam, Dean. You can wait in the diner, maybe get a glass of water while your at it. Sounds like you'll need it," He smiled at them before going back to the truck. While he was under the hood, he shouted to them, "There's also some nice steaks and burgers. Even pancakes if you want some."
"Thanks Jeep!" Sam called before bounding off, Dean walking fast to keep up, "I could use some food."
The door opened easily with a ding, the blinds rattling against the glass. Sam was first in, the top of his head nearly brushing the top of the door frame. Dean followed, silently taking stock of the people there.
A couple sat at the table closest to the pair, the wife's eyes scrutinizing him. They were dressed to impress and probably were the owners of the car, no one dressed like that would live in this wasteland. Farther back into the corner was a young woman, probably the daughter of the couple. She was eyeing them with a flirtatious look, and Dean winked at her. The mother glared.
An older man, old enough to be their father, was on a stool by the TV, his fist hitting it rather hard. He was bickering with the cook behind the counter, whose shirt was covered in grease and a hook adorned his right hand.
"Just sit wherever you like, I'll be with you in a sec," Dean's attention was drawn to the heavily pregnant woman in the waitress' attire. She smiled at them and he heard Sam's breath hitch. She looked just like Jess.
He grabbed his arm and dragged him to a booth near the back, one with a clear view of the door and every single occupant in the room. Sam's face was drawn tight, but he seemed okay.
"Just holler when you're ready," The waitress stopped by with the menus, "Name's Charlie. Oh, and the specials are on the board." And with a flourish, she was speeding to the counter.
They took their time to decide what they wanted, seeing as it would be a while before the impala was seen to. Dean hummed to himself, thinking the burger sounded pretty good. Then again, a burger anytime sounded pretty good.
"Charlie?" He called, not too loud to be obnoxious but loud enough to garner her attention. She strode over rather awkwardly and pulled a out a pad of paper.
"What'll it be?"
"Can I get the stack of pancakes with a coffee?" Sam wasn't entirely comfortable looking at her but he wasn't about to be rude.
"And I'll get the Paradise Special, sweetheart. With a beer please," He smiled at her.
"Sure thing, I'll be back in a moment with your drinks," Sam watched her leave before turning to Dean.
"You don't think…?"
"No, Sam. Just… don't," Sam looked away quickly, his large hands rubbing at his wrists, "Jeez man, I thought you've gotten over her death by now. I know it was hard, I know, but if you hold on it's just going to get harder to let go."
Sam gave him an unreadable look.
"What?"
"It's just… I never knew you could be so deep."
Dean sputtered and slapped at Sam, "Shut up, Bitch!" Sam threw his head back and laughed, leaning away from Dean's reach.
"Jerk!"
"Woah, careful there. Don't want to spill your drinks now, do we?" Charlie had come back, a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a beer in the other. The brothers smiled at her in thanks, "I'll be right back with your food."
Sure enough, she was back right after she left, two plates in her hands. The smell of cooked meat reached Dean's nose and his stomach growled loudly in response, the aroma was mouth watering. Charlie set the plates down in front of them with a knowing smile.
"Enjoy," The bell to the door rang and the guy previously at the TV entered the diner. The WInchesters hadn't realized when he left, but now he was back at it, after reassuring the couple that Jeep was close to fixing their BMW. After a hard hit, the screen righted itself and a loud ringing noise sounded from the old box.
"What the hell is that?" The cook said, everyone in the diner staring at the screen in disbelief and caution.
"Must be one of them test things."
"Yeah, that don't look like a test," Charlie snarked from her spot at a nearby table, a rag in her hand.
"Percy," The cook looked back at him, "Check the radio, see if there's anything on the channels."
Every single station had the same sound, each at different pitches, and resonating with the one coming from the TV. It sent chills down Dean's spine and he didn't join in when they tried to guess what was happening. Instead, he just turned his attention to Sam, having a hushed conversation with him.
"Something's not right," He kept eating, not meeting Sam's gaze, but not ignoring him either, "Think Cas knows something?"
"I don't know, we could try to call him. But there isn't any service out here."
"Shit."
"I don't think so, the shit cut off in the middle of my conversation," Dean and Sam looked at the dark man who emerged from the back room, he must've arrived before they got there, "I want my money back." Was he talking about the phone?"
"Well that's perfect! Just perfect!" The woman who had glared at Dean earlier sounded near hysterics; her husband was comforting her, trying to calm her down. After a couple of minutes, everyone seemed to not be on edge anymore and going back to their normal conversations. Jeep came into the diner, talking to the man - Bob, they found out - in the back. He kept glancing at the couple in the booth. Looks like their car wasn't getting fixed.
The bell rang again, and an old woman came through. She was all smiles as she sat down and Sam felt mildly creeped out, eerily reminded of a clown. Charlie was talking to her, getting her order. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but it seemed harmless enough. It wasn't long before the old woman was talking to the couple nearby, acting like the stereotypical grandmother who talked to anyone.
"You think I should call for him?" Dean's voice cut through his musings.
"No. He hasn't answered us in the past week, he probably won't now," He shrugged, "Besides, we can't just have him appearing in front of everyone."
Dean sighed before taking a deep swig of his beer.
"Excuse me?" Charlie's incredulous voice reached them and Sam stood, a protective surge rising up within him.
"I said your fucking baby's gonna burn."
"Woah there," Percy said from behind the counter, his face on of utter disbelief. Charlie cursed at the woman before slamming the pad on the table, walking away rather quickly despite the heavy weight that was her stomach.
"Sam!" He didn't hear Dean get up behind him, trying to pull him away as he stormed over to the old woman - Gladys. The wife tried to confront her, but Gladys cursed her out as well.
"What did you say?!" He didn't understand why he was so angry. Maybe it was because she reminded him of Jess, maybe it's because she was pregnant, he didn't know. But he was absolutely livid. His wide hand landed on her pink knitted shoulder.
Dean saw her before Sam did, and pulled him back. Pain rushed through his arm as the woman bit into him with sharp teeth. Teeth that weren't there before biting through leather and skin, all the way down to his bone. He briefly panicked, thinking she was a vampire but then he saw her eyes. Black.
"You're all going to fucking die!" She cried out when Dean sent a punch to her face, backhanding him and hitting the table of one of the booths. The room was chaos, Bob pulling a gun from behind the counter and the husband pulling his wife over to their daughter, trying to protect his family. Jeep had jumped in front of Charlie, telling her to get back, a protective hand on her stomach.
"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satan-" His exorcism was cut off as he was backhanded across the room, his head striking the wall. Percy threw a frying pan at her, the bones in her neck snapping and the metal biting into her cheek. But she got right back up.
"I'm not a demon, Winchester!" Demon Galdys shouted, her voice doubling. She was cackling. She jumped on the wall above the family, crawling onto the ceiling. She jumped down behind Bob and threw him, the gun falling to the ground and at Jeep's feet. He didn't hesitate to pick it up and aim, but his finger shook, not sure whether he should pull the trigger.
"You bitch!" Dean cried out as he grabbed the sawed off shotgun tucked into his pants. She was approaching the boy, teasing him.
"You will never save her."
"Shoot her Jeep!" Percy shouted from the stove, another pan in his hand. She cried out, sliding forward at an inhuman pace. The injured Winchester aimed at her skull, and fired. She fell to the ground, and didn't move again.
Dropping the gun, Dean groaned in pain. The wound in his arm was agony, "Sammy?!" He briefly felt someone lifting his head and pressing something to his arm, but the pain clouded his senses.
Sam came back to consciousness to Dean's cries, alert almost instantly, "Dean? What happened," Jeep was leaning over him, a wet cloth to his forehead, wiping away the blood leaking from a cut in his hairline.
"You doing good Sam?"
"Where's Dean?" Jeep looked over to Sam's brother's prone figure on the ground, his head on the teenager's lap. She was shushing him as tears leaked from his eyes. His jacket was in a bundle on the ground beside him, the deep wound on his arm steadily leaking blood into Bob's grasp, who was holding a cloth to the bite.
Sam sat up quickly, ignoring the wave of vertigo that hit him.
"Dean!" He rushed to his side, running hands over his brother's face. Green eyes glazed over in pain met his own.
"Hey S'mmy," He slurred, smiling at his little brother, "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Sam muttered, "Start worrying about yourself for a change."
"Don't need to," He sighed, "I've got an angel looking after me," He gestured to the girl watching after him, who gave a watery smile, "Her name's Audrey." His pained smile turned to a smirk and Sam rolled his eyes.
"We need to get him to a hospital," The man earlier - Kyle - said, laying a hand on his shoulder. Sam nodded, before grabbing one of Dean's arms.
"Help me out here Dean, we both know you eat too many burgers," Dean groaned as he tried to get his legs under him, but he fell back to the ground.
As they were trying to get him up, Bob and Jeep quickly went outside with the body of Gladys, wrapped in a tarp. Kyle had gone with them, who left with a, "Who cares, the bitch just walked on the ceiling," It didn't take them long. Dean still couldn't get up, as he kept crying out in pain, a bad bruise in his side quickly being discovered.
"Don't bother," A voice said from behind them and Bob swung around with his gun.
"Cas?!" Sam cried out in surprise and relief, "Cas! Please help him!"
His face pinched, with what, Sam didn't know, "I can't. I'm… almost out of grace. I rebelled against Raphael; I have been cast out of Heaven," Sam's eyes widened and he felt them burn, much to his disbelief, "But someone is coming that can help. I promise."
"Who are you?" Bob's gruff voice cut through, "How did you get in here?"
"My name is Castiel. I am an angel of the Lord," He bit out, his blue eyes never moving from Dean's face, studying him.
"Look! It's the police! Thank God!" Charlie cried out, she went to dart out of the diner but Jeep held her back.
"Wait, L.A.P.D.?"
"Do not fret, Jeep," The trench-coated man said, "He is here to help us."
"What is he?" Bob shot sarcastically, "Another 'angel of the Lord'?"
"Yes," The man's hostility went over the angel's head, "He is an archangel. His name is Michael."
"Cas?" Dean's quiet voice cut in. Piercing eyes turned on him, but he couldn't bring himself to be uncomfortable, "Where have you been?"
"All will be revealed in due time, Dean Winchester," Everyone's heads turned to the newcomer who was standing at the door. He had short blonde hair and wore a long grey coat. In his hand was a duffle most definitely full of weapons, "My name is Michael, and my brother speaks the truth." Audrey inched away from him as Castiel lowered his head in respect, she could feel the power radiating off of his body. She was one of the first to believe Castiel's words.
Even with a shotgun pointed in his face - courtesy of Bob - he leaned down and laid a hand on Dean's head, closing his eyes. Those present could still see the blue glow through his lids, a wave of power overwhelming their senses. Dean was now wide awake, his eyes trained on the archangel above him. He could feel his wounds closing, the pain ebbing and the blood disappearing.
Michael's eyes opened, "Thank you," Sam breathed out. His eyes were wide in awe.
The angel nodded, before addressing everyone else, "Lock the doors, more are coming."
"More of what?" Howard - Audrey's father - asked, his hand tightening on his wife's shoulder.
"More like her," He turned to Sam and Dean - who was now standing, any signs of his wounds now gone, "You should go get what you need from your car, you'll need it."
"Get what?" Charlie said from behind Jeep, her hand on her stomach and face peeking past his shoulder. She didn't get an answer, but she didn't need one, because the brothers came back in with two duffels, the barrels of guns peaking out.
"Jesus fucking Christ!" Kyle shouted, his hand reaching for the piece he hid in his own jacket, "Why do you have all of those guns in your car?!"
"Er…" Dean glanced at Cas and Michael, who both nodded, "So that Gladys bitch? Noticed how she kind of walked on the ceiling? Black eyes? Baby teeth? We, uh, hunt things like her on a daily basis."
"Bullshit," Bob snarled.
Audrey and her mother, Sandra, cried out when the lights powered off. Audrey's panic disappeared when she felt her father's hand squeeze her shoulder. No one noticed when it became dark, because now it was pitch black in the diner, the cover of night dominating the sky. But no stars were out tonight.
Flashlights were turned on, the bright light causing most to squint. The lights settled on Michael and Castiel, who were both tense.
"Now what?"
They looked up.