Chapter 50

I spent the next year and a half wandering in and out of Hell, and I periodically checked in with the Winchesters. I was determined to discover what it was that that Spawn was up to, however, the plans remained secret. A thing that I had often thought was nigh on impossible in Hell. Yet, I found myself still incapable of uncovering their purpose. I had to move cautiously and I will confess to feelings of dread. My position was a precarious one and I balanced keeping the Winchesters safe with my other duties.

Eventually though, I had had enough of Hell and chose to walk the surface. While I was there I was drawn to a place called Athens Ohio. There was a College near there. It was a favorite haunting site of supernatural entities. I smiled at that thought, I wondered if the builders thought that by organizing the buildings in the shape of a pentagram would have protected the students.

I walked into a bar near to the campus and spotted Dean at the counter nursing a beer. His shoulders were hunched and he wasn't trying to pick up the waitress. I raised an eyebrow at that, because she was actually pretty decent looking. I sat next to him.

"Hey," I said.

Dean looked up at me. His eyes were rimmed with sadness and I rested my hand on his arm.

"You always turn up when I need you don't you?" he commented.

"I try to," I said.

"Well," he sighed. "It's okay."

"No," I stopped him from standing. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Dean shook his head.

"This is me Dean Winchester," I tightened my grip. "I know you."
"It's okay Kelsey," Dean shrugged.

"So what's her name?" I guessed.

Dean stared at me for a moment. "I'm not that transparent."

"Dean," I placed my chin on his shoulder. "There's a very cute waitress in this place and you've not even noticed her attempts to get your attention."

Dean frowned and glanced over at the girl. She smiled and he nodded at her. He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not that obvious."

"Oh but it's what we love about you darling," I teased.

"Yes, well," Dean stammered.

"What did you do? Tell her the truth?" I joked.

Dean was silent. I sat up straight for the answer was written on his face.

"Come on," I tugged on his jacket.

Dean followed as we exited the bar. We walked to where the Impala was parked and I sat on the hood of the car.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing," he deflected.

"Hey," I tipped his chin toward me. "I know better. You must have really liked this girl to tell her the truth."

"Aw Kelsey," Dean looked away from me. "She was impressive. A journalism student, beautiful and intelligent."

"Just the kind of girl you've always wanted?" I offered.

"The kind of girl I never expected to get," Dean sniffed. "But it's okay."

"No it's not," I said.

He looked directly at me. He was going to bury his feelings as he usually did. I sighed.

"You know," I hopped down from the hood of the car. "One day you're going to explode."

He hugged me with one arm. "It's okay Kelsey. Look I gotta go meet Dad. You coming?"

"No," I shook my head. "The last time I spoke to your father, we got into it."

"Again?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Yep," I concurred. "We were arguing about Sam."

"What about Sammy?" Dean asked quietly.

"You know that your father visits your brother," I said.

"He doesn't speak to him," Dean shrugged.

"Exactly," I narrowed my eyes.

"You're not going to change his mind," Dean smirked.

"True," I nodded. "John Winchester is one stubborn bastard I'll grant you that."

Dean didn't respond. I stood there watching him for a moment. "Sam will come around you know."

"Sure," Dean kept his head lowered.

"You've tried to contact him?" I questioned.

Dean snorted, "He won't answer the phone."

"Have you called him?" I repeated.

"I know my brother Kelsey," Dean's shoulders slumped. "I better go meet up with Dad. We've got a job."

I nodded. Dean got into the car and drove off into the night. It made me curious to find Sam.

I quickly crossed the distance and saw Sam with Jessica. He looked so happy. I smiled to myself; I figured the boyfriend back home stood very little chance with Sam Winchester in the picture. I opted to leave him alone and continued on my journey. I thought that things were actually going well for them. I mean, as well as it could go given that John wasn't speaking to one of his sons and was busy hunting every supernatural thing in existence with the other. Yet I couldn't deny the happiness that was radiating from Sam. It all boiled down to choice. It always did. Micah was right.

I wandered alone on the highways for a bit. I stayed just out of sight of everyone else. I wandered through the forests that I had known so well. I found my steps returning to the grave of Sister Anthony. I knelt next to her grave and looked at the tree I had planted over it. I ran my fingers over her name; it was almost enough to make me change my mind about what I had chosen to do. I stayed there for a good while thinking about the choices I had made.

I have no concept of how much time had passed but I heard a cry in the night. I came fully awake. It was Sam. I raced to where he was and witnessed Dean pulling him out of a burning apartment. I looked around for Jessica and realized that Sam was screaming her name. I rushed into the burning building and saw that she was killed. I stood perfectly still. The spawn was there. I moved quickly outside and saw him standing there.

"You're too late," he taunted.

"What did you do?" I demanded.

"What I needed to," he shrugged.

I grabbed his neck and threw him into a tree. He recovered quickly and stayed outside of my grasp.

"He was happy!" I screamed.

"Exactly!" he shouted back.

I stopped. My eyes widened as I realized the terrible truth in that moment. "I will kill you."

"You're not allowed," the Spawn taunted.

"Want to bet," I growled.

"I need that Hell Gate open," he said.

"No demon can open that gate," I snarled.

"Exactly," he said.

"You're violating the rules," I drew my sword.

He backed away from me. "A necessary thing."

"You need the key," I said.

"I'll find it. Especially since I figured out what it is," he sneered.

It was enough to make me pause. I had caused all of it. My brilliant idea was not so brilliant after all. The demon vanished.

I walked around to the front of the building. The fire engines had shown up and were putting out the blaze. How could I go to them now? It had been too much to hope that one of the denizens of Hell wouldn't have figured it out. I needed a hunter. I needed John. I scanned the crowd and frowned. Dean was there with Sam but John wasn't present. Something felt wrong.

I drew near them and overheard Sam telling Dean that they needed to find their father. John was missing? I sincerely doubted that John was missing. He more than likely had decided that it was time to engage in his fool's errand of tracking down the thing that killed his wife. I closed my eyes for a brief second. I sat on the pavement. I had to fix this. I had to find a way to fix everything.

I heard the trunk slam shut and the car doors close hard. I watched as the taillights of the Impala drove off leaving the firemen cleaning up the remnants of the fire. John Winchester's boys were looking for him. They were looking for answers. I pulled my knees up under my chin and remembered Micah's warning about choices.

The End.