Killing Me Slowly

We got the Starship in the interrogation room and chained him to a chair in silver as Bobby was in the room with a knife and Cas, Sam, Brit, Dean and I were standing outside the room, peering in. He wasn’t talking though. Then, we heard something and told Cas to stay while we went to check it out. But, when we got to the cells, we saw it was just two boys on a bench, tied up and gagged.

“You're Dr. Silver's boys” Sam recognized them. The older one nodded. “Alright, don't worry. We're gonna get you out of here, okay?” Brit told them. “Keys?” I said to Dean. “Yea” he said and went to go find them.

“We're not gonna hurt you. My name is Melissa, this is my sister, Brittney. This is Sam and his brother, Dean. Those cops, they're not coming back, ever” I said, gently, staring right into their eyes.

Dean came back with the keys and unlocked the cell. We walked in and I un-gagged them. “What are your names?” Brit asked. “Joe. This is Ryan” the older one said.

“Hey Ryan, how you doing?” Dean asked, kneeling down to his height. Ryan just looked down though. “He won't talk, not since they came for us” Joe said.

“Alright, listen Joe. We're gonna get you out of those handcuffs. Um, but you understand what's going on around here, don't you?” Joe nodded.

“So first we've gotta make sure you're you”

“How you gonna do that?”

“Well there's a few…dozen tests…okay, let's get started”

~~

Once we were sure the boys were human, we headed back to Bobby and Cas. “So you two never heard 'em talk... about a mother, or someone named Eve?” Sam asked.

“It was just me and Ryan in there” Joe shook his head.

“And your folks?” Dean wondered.

“Cops said we were next. He said we were food”

“You have any other family?” I asked.

“An uncle in Merritt”

“Merritt, what's that, like 15 miles outside of town?” Brit said.

“Okay. We'll get you there” I said.

“Melissa. Can I have a word?” Cas said. I turned and walked over to him but Dean came too. “We need to find Eve now” Cas said, sternly.

“Yeah. Go. Me, Dean, Sam and Brit just gotta make a milk run” I said.

“We need your help here”

“Hold your water. We'll be back in a few”

“Dean, Melissa. Millions of lives are at stakes here, not just two. Stay focused”

“Are you kidding?” Dean asked as I narrowed my eyes at Cas.

“There's a greater purpose here”

“Ya know, I’m starting to get a little sick and tired of the greater purposes, okay? I think what I'd like to do now is save a couple of kids, if you don’t mind” I snapped.

“We'll catch up” Dean added and then we faced Sam, Brit and the boys. “Okay guys, let's go. C'mon” he said and we all walked out.

We took one car with Dean in the driver’s seat, Sam in the passenger seat, Brit and I were in the back with Joe and Ryan in the middle of us. “Hey, you should get some rest” Joe said to Ryan and wrapped an arm around him so he could lean into him and shut his eyes.

I smiled a little and then looked up at Brit and saw she was smiling too. Then, I looked up at Dean and saw him through the rearview mirror and he was smiling at the familiar sense…I could tell it was reminding him of himself and Sam and I looked over at Sam to see him smile a little as he looked out the window. Then, I looked down slightly. Family…you cant live without them…but, they’ll be the death of you in the end.

~

Once we dropped the boys off at their house, we got back to the station and Bobby had told us Cas had gotten the information we needed and decapitated the sheriff himself. Now, we had a location, we just needed to get close enough to take a shot off. We each loaded a shot gun with one round of Phoenix ash and then we headed out. We got to the address that Cas got and ended up at Ervin’s diner.

“You gotta be kidding me. She's been in there the whole time?” Dean asked. “Why'd she ever let us in? Or out?” Sam wondered.

“Well there's one way to find out” Brit said. “What, just stroll in? We don't know who's human or who's her” Bobby said.

“Well there's one way to draw her out. Me, Brit, Dean and Sam will go in” I said.

“Melissa…”

“Look. If we don't get a shot off, you two better”

“That's the plan?“

“Yeah. Pretty much” Dean said. Sam handed Bobby his bag as Dean held onto his bag and we all headed on in as Cas and Bobby stayed behind.

We sat at the counter. I was in the middle of Dean and Brit with Sam on the other side of her. I was a little tense and I was trying to calm myself but it just wasn’t working. Then, Dean brushed his hand against mine and his thumb hooked around mine, so I looked at him and I felt my heart rate settle out a little and I nodded slightly so he nodded too and then took his hand back. I noticed Sam was silently calming Brit as well…can you really blame us for being nervous? Then, I got her to look at me and we had a small silent moment with our eyes. You okay? I asked her silently and she seemed to understand because she nodded.

“So, now what?” I asked, letting out a deep breath.

Sam took out his phone and started to use his camera to look at all the other people in the diner. “Crap, Crap, crap” he muttered. “Starships?” Dean asked.

“Yeah”

“Is there anybody in this diner that is not a flesh-eating monster?”

“Uh, me, you and the girls” he replied and then met his brother’s eyes so they could decide what to do.

Dean contemplated but only for a split millisecond as his eyes met mine quickly. “Okay, well let's get the hell out of here”

“Shall we?” Sam said and we all went to get up.

“Four specials, right?” a waitress said to us as she set four plates in front of us from the other side of the counter. “Uh, no, that's not for us. We were just headed out” I said.

“Now that would be rude, Melissa” she spoke, fluently. My eyes were about to widen…but I made them narrow instead.

Honestly, I don’t know what it was. Maybe it was the fact that I didn’t have my senses all put together at the moment…but it’s been happening a lot lately. I’m not the hard core, bad ass, fearless chick I used to be. I’m scared…a lot. And I have a right to be, right? I mean there is so much more to be afraid of, now. Just look at Eve. Maybe it’s the fact that I was a full fledged mom and…dare I say it…wife…for a year. It wasn’t anything official-like but I did feel like Dean’s wife…I still do…and I think I always will.
I had to buckle up though. Things weren’t just going to stop coming after us. I needed to get back to what I was…the way I used to be. “Let me guess. Eve” I assumed.

“Pleasure” she smiled.

“Why don't we step outside. Chat?” Dean suggested.

“Why? This is private”

Then, the Starships around us shut the blinds and locked the front door. One picked up Dean’s bag and set it on the counter. Eve opened it, took out one of the guns and smelled it.

“Phoenix ash. I'm impressed. I bet you had to go a long way for that”

“You have no idea” “Destroy these. Thank you” she said to a Starship, handing him the guns. Then, she looked back at us.

“Relax. I'm not here to fight”

“No? Just to rally every freak on the planet, bring in Khan Worms and half-assed spider-men, and dragons. Really, sister? Dragons?”

“So I dusted off some of the old classics. I needed help”

“With what? Tearing apart the planet?” Sam scoffed quietly.

“You misunderstand me. I never wanted that. Not at first. I liked our arrangement”

“What arrangement?” Brit asked.

“The natural order. My children turned a few of you, you hunted a few of them. I was happy”

“So what changed?” I asked.

“My children, no thanks to you, started getting kidnapped and tortured. Even my first borns. I was pushed into this. After all, a mother defends her children”

“Really? You're gonna use the Mother of The Year defense? You?” Dean questioned.

“It happens to be true. Know what? Maybe you'll believe it if I look a little more like this” she said and then she morphed into Sam and Dean’s mom, Mary.

My jaw clenched. “Oh, you bitch” Dean grunted.

“She died to protect you, didn't she? See. You understand a mother's love. I'm no different…”

Then, she morphed into my mom, smiling…I felt my heart ache…and then she morphed into Brit’s mom, smiling at her…and then she just morphed back into Mary.

“Alright, you know what? This conversation's over. If you're gonna kill us, kill us” I said with force and annoyance.

“You? No. It's Crowley I want dead”

“Well you're too late there. That little limey mook roasted months ago”

“Crowley's alive”

“That’s impossible” Brit said.

She started to make her way around the counter. “I see his face through the eyes of every child he strings up and skins. Any idea why he's hurting my babies?”

“He wants Purgatory, right? Location, location, location” Dean said.

She laughed. “Is that what he told you? It's about the souls”

“What about them?” Brit scoffed.

“Their power, you simple little monkey. Fuel. Each soul a beautiful little nuclear reactor. Put 'em together, you have the sun. Now think what the king of hell could do with that vast, untapped oil well. How powerful he'd be. Now Crowley wants to siphon off my supply, and torture my children to do it? Okay, fine. I'll quite playing nice. I'll turn you all. Every soul, mine. Let's see how hot his hell burns when everyone comes to me. He asked for it”

“You know, last I checked, there were a few billion of us. That plan might take a while” Dean said.

“What exactly do you think I'm doing here? I'm building the perfect beast”

“Wait a second, all those things we've been finding…” Sam started.

“Call it beta testing"

“Well, I think your formula might be a little off. They're imploding all over town” I said.

“Oh, there were a few unfortunate failures. But I eventually got it right. Quiet, smart, inconspicuous. It can spread through a whole town in under a day, oh and the best part…you've been with it the whole time”

“What?” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Yes, you were the final test. I had to see if it could slip past hunters undetected, of course. Little Ryan” She smiled. Oh my god….

“You look upset. If it makes you feel any better, Ryan was bound to work on you. Little wayward orphan, like yourselves. There's nothing you can do about it now. So let's talk”

“Nothing to say” Brit said.

"Well, that's where you're wrong. I have an offer to propose. Crowley. As you know, not so easy to find. So, here's the deal. You find him, bring him to me…I let you live”

We all tensed slightly…but, Dean hid it better. “Pass” he said. “Dean” Sam was about to object.

“Sam, no. The answer is no” I said, sternly, giving him a look.

“You say that like you have another option”

“Maybe we do…”

“Maybe we don't” he finished.

“You think?”

But, then the Starships brought in Bobby and Cas from the back and my jaw clenched. “Well, so much for your plan B…and you, wondering why so flaccid? I'm older than you, Castiel. I know what makes angels tick. Long as I'm around, consider yourself and Melissa unplugged” she said to Cas and then smiled at me.

“Work for me. It's a good deal. Bonus, I won't kill your friends” she offered to us.

“Okay, look, little miss priss…” I wasn’t sure if now was the time for the old me to be coming out but I was just winging it. “The last few months we've been working for an evil dick. We're not about to sign up for an evil bitch” I spat.

“Right. We don't work with demons. We don't work with monsters. And if that means you gotta kill us, then kill us!” Dean grunted.

“Or, I turn you. And you do what I want anyway” she said, keeping calm.

“Beat me with a wire hanger, answer's still no”

Then, in the blink of an eye she was behind Dean, with a hand on one of his shoulders, keeping him in his seat. Starships grabbed Brit and Sam and pulled them away from us and I went to jump away too but she grabbed me by the shoulder and kept me down as well. Brit and Sam were struggling to get away as Eve hovered over both of us, close to our faces. I cringed slightly but tried not to show it.

“Don't test me” she hissed.

“Bite me” I hissed back.

She snarled her teeth at me and then instead of biting me…she bit him right in the neck. “No!” Sam and Brit yelled. “Dean!” Cas yelled. Then, she went to bite me too but managed to only knick me and draw a little bit of blood before she started to cough and stumble back.

Dean’s hand flew up to his neck to try and keep the blood in as we both shot to our feet and we faced her. “Phoenix ash. One shell, one ounce of whisky. Down the hatch” I told her. “Little musty on the after burn. Call you later, Mom” Dean added.

She glared at us as she clutched her chest that was glowing and she morphed back into the brunette girl as she began to choke. Some kind of black liquid started to come out of her mouth and her nose as she fell to the ground, dead. I just stared at her for a moment…it was kind of weird to think that we actually did it so easily.

Then, the Starships started to attack. “Shut your eyes!” Cas yelled and held a hand in the air.

A blinding white light filled the air and I shut my eyes tight…and when I opened them again, they were all dead. “We got to take you on more monster hunts” Bobby said to him.

“Cas, little help with Dean, please?” I asked, taking his hand away from his wound, seeing all the blood…and the scent filled my nose.

It surprised me so I jumped back a little, putting my wrist up against my nose, but I continued to hold his hand and tried to smile at him. “I think she turned me into a Jefferson Starship” Dean sighed.

“Yea, could you clear that up too?” I asked, trying not to breath through my nose.

So, then Cas touched his shoulder and his wound was gone. Then, Dean noticed my smaller wound on my neck that I hardly noticed since I was focused more on Dean but, of course, he was always more focused on me. Then, Cas noticed it as well and he touched my shoulder as well and it healed right away.

“Alright, we're good. We got to go. Now” Dean said.

“Where?” Cas asked.

“The kid. The little kid. He's one of them”

“Unbelievable”

“Yeah, we know Cas, you told us. Let's just go” I said, annoyed.

He shook his head in disbelief but still teleported all of us to Joe and Ryan’s uncle’s house. We were too late though. When we got there, we found the uncle dead on the floor.

“So we kill the wicked witch and she still wins. I mean they could've turned half the town by now…don't say it” Dean said to Cas as he was about to open his mouth.

“Found them” Bobby said from down the hallway.

We walked over to him as he was standing at a closet door with both Joe and Ryan’s dead bodies in there. “Well who ganked them?” Dean questioned. “Demons” I said.

“How you figure?” Bobby asked.

“Sulfur” I said, pointing to my nose.

Sam looked around and then bent down near the side of the door and pinched some sulfur into his fingers. “She’s right…demons” he confirmed. It was pretty good to be back.

“So what do you think?” Brit asked. “I think that demons don't give a crap about monster tweens unless they're told to” Dean said.

“So you think she was telling the truth?” Sam asked. “The truth about what?” Cas wondered. “She said that Crowley's still kicking” I said, crossing my arms.

“But I burned his bones, how…was she certain?”

“Sounded pretty sure. According to her, Crowley's still water boarding her kids, somewhere” Dean said.

“I don't understand"

“Well he is a crafty son of a bitch”

“I'm an angel. I'll look into it immediately” he said and vanished.

“Cas!” Dean yelled, but then sighed. “Let us know what you find out!” I just sighed as we followed the others back into the living room.

They seemed to be off about something. “What…what is it?” I asked them.

“How did Crowley get away? I mean it's not like Cas to make mistakes like that. Unless…” Bobby started. “Unless what?” Dean asked.

“Unless he meant to”

I stared at him in slight shock…I didn’t want to believe that…I couldn’t believe that….

“Bobby, this is Cas we're talking about”

“Do you two believe this?” I asked Sam and Brittney. They didn’t respond. “Sam? Brit?”

“Look it's probably nothing” Brit said, offering a small smile. “Yea…yea, it’s probably nothing” Sam said, nodding. I just stared at them both, though. Please, Cas…don’t be doing anything stupid.