Sweet Child of Mine

The group sat around Cadence after she was moved to her new room. Everyone was watching in amazement as Cadence swallowed the generic meal the hospital staff placed in front of her. The doctors were confused and basically dumbfounded as to why Cadence was recovering as quickly as she was; they even removed her stitches. Bobby sat in the chair next to her, but was looking at Castiel.

“What did you do,” he asked.

Castiel looked to the old man and said, “I’m still trying to figure out what it means.”

“I don’t care if you’re confused, tell me what you did to Cadence.”

“I healed her… as I would an angel.”

Cadence swallowed the chunk of bread that was in her mouth and asked, “Is that different than healing me like a human?”

Castiel nodded, “Yes.”

Cadence frowned, “Then why did it work?”

“That’s what I’m trying to understand.”

Sam cleared his throat, “Well, regardless of what it means, right now we have to deal with our witch.”

Cadence nodded, “Right.”

“So, she knows who we are…. But I’m still trying to figure out your death.”

“I think she was aiming for Sharon Tate.”

“Who,” asked Dean.

“She was the actress killed by Charles Manson,” said Ellen.

Cadence nodded, “She was stabbed sixteen times.”

Jo frowned and shook her head, “But you’re not pregnant.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Dean, “She was pregnant?”

“Yeah, that was what made her death so tragic.”

Cadence groaned, “Fuck my life!”

Dean smiled, “Come on, Cadence, you’re healed! It can’t be that bad.”

“It’s not that,” she said, “I said I had morning sickness… I implied I was pregnant.”

“Jesus Christ, Cay,” said Bobby.

“It was an excuse!”

“An excuse for what?”

“To look around the house.”

Bobby sighed, “Well, I hope it was worth it.”

Cadence set down the half eaten bun, suddenly suffering from a loss of appetite. She had always striven to impress Bobby, who was the only father figure she had ever had. To grow up working with a man like Bobby Singer, it was hard not to want to be like him. Whenever Bobby showed disappointment in her Cadence took it out on herself.

“What are we going to do now,” asked Ellen.

“We go and torch the bitch,” Cadence’s voice was thick with anger.

“Yeah, and how are we going to do that,” asked Dean, “We can’t just stroll in and set her house on fire.”

Cadence shrugged, then a ring came from off to the side of her bed Sam went over and dug out Cadence’s phone from the box of her personal effects. Handing it to Cadence she answered it, “Hello?”

“Cadence?”

“Yeah, what’s up Ryan?”

“Cadence… Charlie isn’t answering her phone and I’m just making sure she’s okay… is she with you?”

“No… no she’s not.”

Ryan sighed on the other side of the phone, “Could you please call her… make sure she’s okay? Her room mate is freaking out.”

“Yeah, I’ll call.

Ryan hung up and Cadence immediately called Charlie. The phone ran and someone answered it. The sound of Charlie crying came from a distance, and under that came the sound of someone chanting. She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that her face a look of pure terror.

“Cadence,” asked Ellen, “What’s wrong?”

The girl didn’t respond. Instead she put the phone down and on speaker. The whole room was quiet as they listened. Managing to swallow Cadence said, “I want out of here.”

“Is that Charlie,” asked Sam.

“Yeah… that’s Charlie.”

“What is-is she at Susan’s house,” Dean’s voice was worried.

Cadence thought about it then shook her head, “No. No, a normal witch would have put the protective ring on the ceiling… she put it under her bed. She hides her witch craft….”

“Where, Cadence,” asked Castiel.

“The school…. In the basement.” Cadence pushed the covers back and moved to get up.

“Now, Cay, wait a minute,” said Bobby, “I don’t want you jumping in on a fight you’re not ready for.”

“Bobby… that bitch has my friend…. I’m not about to sit on the sidelines while I watch you all go after her.”

A nurse came in and saw Cadence sitting on the edge of the bed and rushed to her side, “Whoa there… you really shouldn’t be moving-“

“I’m checking out,” she said as she continued to slide off the bed.

The nurse was silent then said, “I’ll get the doctor.”

Cadence stood and started to remove the chords from her body. The doctor came in, Dr. Wilson, and he said, “Whoa! Where’s the fire?”

“I hate hospitals.”

“A lot of people do. But you can’t leave just yet… you came in with sixteen stab wounds and healed incredibly fast… we would like to run some tests, if you don’t mind.”

“Yes well, lucky you, I do mind. I hate needles and tests.”

Dr. Wilson put on a puppy dog face, “Please, we need to find out what you have in your system that allowed you to heal so fast.”

Cadence frowned and said, “Look, my girlfriend just called and our land lord is threatening to throw her out, not if you’ll excuse me, I would like to get home before that happens again.”

Dr. Wilson looked shocked, then nodded, “Alright, you may leave.”

Smiling she said, “Thank you. Maybe next time I’m here, okay?”

Dr. Wilson nodded again, “That would be wonderful.”

Giving him an other smile, she waited for him to leave. Grabbing her clothes, she continued to take out the needles in her arm. Free of every chord, Cadence walked slowly to the bathroom, the drugs that kept her from feeling any pain still in her system. From behind the bathroom door, she could hear Dr. Wilson talking to Bobby, listing off things he needed to watch out for. When she exited the small room, everyone was ready to go.

“Cadence,” said Jo, “Are you sure you want to do this? You can barely walk.”

Cadence frowned, “That bitch has Charlie, Jo…. I’m not about to let her get away with that. You of all people should know how I am about my friends.”

Jo nodded, “You’re right, I do. You become suicidal.”

Cadence shook her head, “I do what I have to.” She looked at Bobby and nodded, “You ready?”

Bobby sighed, “I guess.”

The group walked out of the building, Dean talking to Sam behind Cadence, “First she’s pregnant, now she’s a lesbian…. What’s next?”

Cadence rode with Bobby, Ellen, and Jo as they drove away. Cadence directed Bobby back to the school which was closed by the time they arrived. According to the papers hanging in the windows the school found Dr. Strong’s body and canceled the rest of the day. Cadence yanked on one of the doors and found them to be locked. Sam bent down and took out two picks from his pocket. Cadence rolled her eyes and took out her keys. Sam watched as she opened the door and everyone filed in.

As Sam stood Cadence made eye contact with him and held up her ring of keys, “Teacher’s aid.”

Sam frowned, looking disappointed that he didn’t get to use his tools and walked into the building. Cadence let the door close behind her first before heading down stairs. Everyone followed as she slowly walked forward, slowly because her energy was drained from the hospital.

As the rounded a corner, Bobby tapped her shoulder and handed her a series of knives.

Cadence looked at the collection and felt like Sweeny Todd when he gripped his razor blades. She paused and let her fingers touch the cool metal, remembering the way they balanced perfectly on her fingers. Looking up at Bobby, she nodded and they continued on their way, ready to beat down a witch.

Dean and Sam fell in step behind her as she walked, everyone else walked behind them. Cadence wound her way through the halls and found the maintenance room. Opening the door the group found a flight of stairs that lead down into the darkness. At the bottom, they could see the flickering of candle light. Cadence took a moment to make sure this was what they wanted, then she head the sound of someone whimpering. She took the first step down, holding the knife at the tip of the blade. With her back against the wall, she used that as a guide as she kept her eyes on the last step. She was on the fourth when the voice of the witch said, “Visitors, o visitors, please come out to play.”

Cadence couldn’t help the sneer that spread onto her face as she replied, “O witch, you bitch, your wish is my command.” Stepping out into the candle light, the face of Susan Price went three shades whiter.

“You? You’re supposed to be dead!”

Cadence’s smile widened, “Bummer right?”

“But, but how?”

“You messed up.” Cadence looked around the basement at the boiler room surroundings. She found Charlie tied to a chair surrounded by candles, her head was bent down and a gag was in her mouth. Cadence looked back at Susan, “What is this Blair Witch meets Freddy Krueger?”

“You won’t be such a wise ass when you watch your friend die.”

“Careful who you threaten, witchy.”

“You won’t be such a wise ass when I kill her using her greatest fear!”

“Alright Alistair Pratt… why the change in pattern?”

“You obviously figured me out by my previous choices, so-”

“We figured you out as a link between the victims. Please, don’t change the pattern, it was way too entertaining.”

Susan stopped, “Really?”

Cadence frowned, “No.” Throwing the knife she held in her hand, Susan’s arm went flying back pinned to the wall. Cadence ran to her, pulling out a second knife she had in her pocket, and pointed the tip at the base of her neck, “Let’s talk, shall we?”

Susan looked scared, “What do you want?”

“No, you see… that’s my question. Along with ‘what are you doing’ or ‘what do you plan on gaining from all of this’ see… all mine.” Pushing the tip further against her skin she said, “So.. why are you doing this?”

Tears filled her eyes as she said, “They were in the way.”

Cadence frowned, “In the way of what?”

“All I want is to teach,” Susan took in a shaky breath and continued, “I was dying of cancer, so I went to a cross roads demon and made a deal. I finished school and went to apply of a teaching job, but they all got in the way. Now I’m a teacher’s aid getting paid to print papers.”

Cadence’s eye brow twitched as she shrugged, “Well at least you’re getting paid.”

Susan continued to cry, “It’s been ten years.”

“Aw… so your times up? Sorry, but that doesn’t give you permission to become a homicidal bitch.”

Susan sobbed, “I don’t want to die.”

Then it hit Cadence like a ton of bricks, “You took up the witch craft to keep the hounds away.”

She nodded. Cadence backed up and motioned everyone to come out. Bobby and Ellen kept their guns pointed at Susan while Dean and Sam joined Cadence at the edge of the circle. Charlie was tied to a chair in the middle, not moving much.

“What are you waiting for,” asked Dean, “Grab her!”

“We can’t,” said Cadence, “I mean, not unless you want to be stuck in there.”

“How do we get her out,” asked Sam.

“I’m working on it.” Cadence took a deep breath then said, “With this voice, I bid thee circle break.” Taking up one of her knives, Cadence cut the palm of her hand, Sam and Dean jumped back shocked, “With this blood, I bid thee circle break.” Walking around, Cadence made sure that her blood dripped the entire way. Once the circle was complete, she felt something tug at her, like a rope. “With this voice, this blood, and this power combined, I bid thee circle break.”

A wind came from no where and all of the candles in the circle blew out. Cadence waited for the last one to stop glowing before walking over the candles and going over to her friend.

“Charlie?” Cadence lifted her head, “Charlie, wake up.”

The girl's eyes fluttered, “Cadence?”

Cadence smiled, “Hold on.” Bending down, she untied the ropes that bound her friend to the chair. Turning to look at the Winchesters she found everyone looking at her. Sighing she said, “Help me now, be shocked later.”

Dean and Sam sort of snapped out of a trance before jumping over the candles and taking Charlie between them. The group headed to the stairs when the sound of dogs could be heard at a distance. Everyone stopped and turned to Susan. She huddled into the wall, crying harder, her hand still attached to the wall. Cadence went over and pulled the knife out of her sleeve.

“Susan, got any salt?”

She nodded while she cried.

“What are hell hounds but demon dogs?”

Her eyes grew wide and she hurried off to find her salt. Cadence walked back to the group and hurried up the stairs. Jo caught up with her and said, “Salt won’t help… there’s no way she’ll cover the place in time.”

Cadence shrugged, “So?”

Walking up the stairs, Cadence held the door open making sure everyone made it, then closed it on the sound of Susan Price frantically trying to save her life. Getting out of the building, the group managed to get into the cars as they heard the blood curdling scream of Susan being torn apart by the vicious hounds.

Turning to Bobby, Cadence said, “Go.”

Stepping on the pedal, Bobby drove back to the motel.