Thanks for the compliments everyone! I'm so glad that you all are enjoying it!
I know I am making myself chuckle with Dean...he's just so comical!
In all of his life Dean could never think of a time when he had so many people crammed into his Impala. Sam was sitting shotgun to him, while Ron, Hermione, Cass, and Harry were sitting in the row directly behind him, crushed in like sardines. Cass had wanted to do his little forehead touch thing that he had done before, but in all honesty Dean would like to be able to go number two again sometime in this lifetime. And besides, Dean was missing his pride and glory; the only woman he needed.
"So are we sure that Pestilence is in this town?" Hermione asked from the back seat.
Sam had pulled a large map out from the glove box and laid it across his lap along with a newspaper article that had caught their attention. The article featured a little hospital known as the Serenity Valley Convalescent Home, that served as both a hospital and a nursing home. The article caught their attention because of the reported number of sick people.
When Sam first told Dean about the place Dean stared at Sam as if he was an idiot.
"Uh, Sam. Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but it's a hospital. Sick people are generally the only ones in hospitals."
"Yes, I know that. But this article is saying it's not just that they're sick, it's what they're sick with. Look, this woman died of phenumonia, chicken pox, and this rare virus that you only get from a special kind of tropical fruit that's grown in Africa. Another one died from yellow fever, a cold, and Japanese encephalitis."
Dean furrowed her brows. He didn't even know what that last one was, but it sounded awful. "Alright, let's go check it out then."
So off they were, all crammed in Dean's baby, traveling down the highway road.
"I am about 90% sure," said Sam, turning back to look at Hermione. "People just don't die of all those diseases at once."
Dean saw Hermione give a little nod in the rearview mirror. "And how do we plan to beat him?" Hermione asked.
"We never really have a plan. We just work with the moment," said Dean with a little chuckle.
"Maybe we could stun him with a jinx or something while they grab the ring?" suggested Harry. "Will our spells work on him?"
"I don't know. Our normal methods don't really do anything against him, and we are all susceptible to his influences," replied Cass, who had been staring out the window with intense concentration for the last hour.
"Oh good," said Ron with heavy sarcasm.
"You know, there's still my suggestion," said Dean quietly to Sam.
"Dean, no. We've been through this. That is not an option."
"You won't gain anything by saying yes to Michael Dean," said Cass. "Michael is still a lead angel in heaven, and he still isn't concerned with whether or not humanity survives this."
"What do you mean he shouldn't say yes to Michael?" asked Hermione, looking at Dean's reflection in the rear view mirror.
"Dean and I are Michael and Lucifer's vessels," said Sam, not taking his eyes off the map on his lap.
"Their vessels? You mean, they can inhabit your bodies?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, but in order to do that we have to say yes to them," replied Sam.
Hermione gave a gentle little nod of the head. "So Sam you're Lucifer's vessel?"
Sam gave a little nod, but chose not to speak. Dean couldn't blame him. Their entire lives Dean and Sam had been fighting something that had been determined before either of them were even old enough to understand English. Now, they were meeting the grand finale and while they were just as united as they had been when they were little, and just as helpless as they had been before. Dean was tired of fighting battles that seemed hopeless, and he was tired of having false hope. For once in his life he wanted to take the easy route, but of course, that was not an option.
"Take this exit," Sam said, breaking the long silence.
Dean quickly turned off the exit, following the road for a couple of miles before it led them into an almost city-like scenario. The sign to the facility was so small that Dean nearly missed it. They had been traveling down the road for thirty or so miles, and Dean had just gotten into a rhythm of it. Quickly, Dean swerved into the parking lot, before jerking into the first open spot he saw.
Dean looked in his mirror to see Ron, Hermione, and Harry looking slightly disheveled while Cass sent him a death stare.
"You might consider being more gentle with your driving," said Cass as they climbed out.
"So, we think he's in there somewhere?" asked Sam, looking up at a blinded window.
"There's one way to find out," said Dean with a little smirk.
Before anyone could stop him Dean had taken off, and was heading towards the door to the hospital. The others quickly followed him throwing the automatic doors and all stopped as soon as they took two steps into the place. It smelled like death...literally. Dean couldn't help but choke/gag as he saw an old lady sitting down sneeze, the green slime from her nostrils hanging on her face like chandeliers on a roof.
"Oh my..." started Hermione, turning to look at an old man who was covered in some kind of fungus.
"Is any of this stuff contagious?" Ron whispered to Hermione.
Hermione gave a gentle shrug of the shoulders. "So, what now?" she asked Dean.
Dean turned around to look at Cass. "Alright Cass. Work your mojo. Is he in here?"
Cass was quiet for a couple of moments before he looked at Dean. "He's on the fourth floor."
"Alright, let's go."
With that Dean was walking again, trying not to vomit as they passed an old woman covered in boils that were starting to ooze something that Dean did not want to analyze too thoroughly. They all climbed into the elevator, the doors closing and locking in the smell of the oozing woman that had clearly just stepped out of them.
"I think I'm going to be sick," muttered Sam, sharing the same terrified and repulsed look that Dean himself was sporting.
"The quicker we get that ring, the quicker we can get out of here."
The doors swung open on the fourth floor and the group piled out. Somewhat to Dean's surprise a dead old guy was lying on the ground in front of him, flies starting to circle his body. Hermione let out a little gasp at the sight, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
"That's just nasty," said Ron, taking a step back.
"You better get your little, uh, stick things out," said Dean, eyeing the three of them as he pulled out his knife.
"You're using a knife?" said Hermione.
"It's a special knife," said Dean with a little shrug.
They had only taken two or three steps towards an open door to a hospital room when a nurse came walking towards them.
"Hi. Can I help you all with something?" she asked in a sweet voice.
"Well, we were just..." started Hermione, put Dean cut her off.
"Where's pestilence?" Dean asked.
"He's been expecting you," the girl said, blinking that her eyes were a midnight black color.
"What is that?!" muttered Ron in a concerned voice.
"That would be a demon," said Dean with a little smile. "Welcome to our lives."