35. Taking the Fight to Metatron

"I'm so glad we never lived in one of these," I tell Sam as I park the truck in an RV park. "It's not a good mobile home."

What's led us here is a video gone viral of Metatron healing a woman that had gotten hit by a car. So while Sam talks to the miracle lady, I remain in my driver's seat, worrying about Cas and Gadreel. How they're gonna pull their crazy stunt off.

I touch my mouth that's no longer tingling. Sam hadn't seen Cas and I kiss, so he has no idea that happened. I'd acted like normal once Cas left and once Sam came back into the room. My possibly budding love life wasn't the main issue here.

I bristle as I see the Impala come up to the RV park. At this, I step out from my truck. I see Dean get out of the car, but I can also see Crowley in the passenger's side. I won't question why they're still bromancing, it's pretty clear.

"You got the balls to show up here?" I challenge my brother. "Especially with him?"

"You try and make a move on him, I'll make a move on you." Dean towers over me.

I stand as tall as my body will allow me. "I'm not scared of you, Mark or no Mark. So why don't you just head on your merry way with your husband and let Sam and I deal with Metatron?"

"Jo, it's all right, don't try and start something," Sam calls.

I back off slightly, enough that I'm following Dean up to our younger brother.

"I guess one of us doesn't need a demon to help follow a clue trail," Sam says, more than annoyed. "You're looking for miracle lady, right? Yeah, she's gone. I had a nice chat with her, though."

"Yeah, and I can see you left your pet Chihuahua out as guard. Sam, whatever kind of intervention you and Jo think this is, trust me, it ain't. I'm not gonna explain myself to either of you."

"Yeah, we sort of got that," I say. "We just thought you might like to know that while you two have been playing, uh, odd couple, your real friends, like Cas, like the angel you stabbed, Gadreel—they're out there right now risking their asses to help you win this fight."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"A fight, I might add, you made that much more complicated when you decided to stab the one angel who could actually get us to Metatron."

"You mean the angel that took Sam for a joy ride?" Dean snarls. "The angel that slaughtered Kevin? That angel?"

"Who you let in the front door in the first place," Sam comes to my aid. "You tricked me, Dean. And now I'm the one who wakes up in the middle of the night seeing my hands killing Kevin, not you. So, please, when you say you don't want to explain anything to me, don't. I get it. And I also get that Metatron has to go. And I know you're our best shot to do that."

"I'm gonna take my shot, for better or worse."

"We know," I say quietly.

"No matter the consequences."

"We know," says Sam. "But if this is it, we're gonna do it together. You want to know what he whispered to her, right, in the video? His next stop."

"So what are we all gollywagging on about? Chop-chop."

The three of us turn and give deadly glares in Crowley's direction. Crowley, who has the audacity to really interrupt a family meeting.

"Excuse me," he says. "I'm not exactly demon Minion number three here. As the kids say, I've got mad skills."

"Yeah, the kids who were kids back in the early two-thousands," I retort.

"Look, I don't know what you expected here, okay," Dean tells him. "I don't really care, but you wanted off the hamster wheel. Get off."

"Well, I guess I've been Winchestered. I'd wish you all good luck...If I thought it would help."

I sigh as Crowley vanishes.

"Well, come on," I say. "We better get a move on."

* * *

By the time we're outside the homeless community Metatron has hidden himself in, night falls.

I park the truck behind the Impala, and the three of us begin to pull out what we're gonna need. Dean is rummaging in the Impala's trunk. I'm making sure I've got my batons. I know these won't kill Metatron by a long shot, but I'll feel better if I can break his nose or a few teeth with these.

I creep towards the Impala's back and frown as I see Dean touching the First Blade. I feel Sam's hovering presence. I clear my throat, and Dean's hand comes off the Blade.

"Anything?" he asks.

"Uh, yeah," says Sam. "He's up there. About a mile up the road. There's a homeless encampment. The way the folks are talking, he's got them convinced he's some kind of new Jesus or something."

"You good?" I ask Dean.

"Yeah, I'm good," he says.

Since I'm closer, I reach in to touch the First Blade. I hand it over to Dean warily.

"Listen, Sammy, Jo, about, um, you know, the last couple of months..."

"We know," says Sam. "So, before we find something else to fight about...tell me...Are you ready to gut this bitch?"

"Let me just lock up my truck real quick," I say, already jogging to it. I slam the door shut and make sure it's locked.

A hot blossom of pain shoots in the back of my skull. The impact sends me hard to the ground. Black is in my vision. I roll onto my side, my vision blurry.

"No, no, just stay down, Jo."

"Dean." I put a hand to my forehead in pain.

"Just let it take you. Shh."

I give in to the intense throbbing, really wanting to kill my older brother when I get back up.

***

"What the...?"

I'm in a dark room, along with Cas, Sam, and Dean. We're all shackled on opposite walls, one person per wall. I wriggle, but the chains don't budge. We're stuck. We're trapped.

"Guys!"

"We're going to be okay," says Cas.

"Oh yeah, how?" I'm barely on my tiptoes, I realize. "How did we get like this?"

"Does it matter? The point is, you lost."

I gently hit my head against the wall. Metatron steps into the light. I eye the angel blade warily in his hand. He caresses it almost like it's his baby or something. I wrinkle my nose.

"I need to take care of you to ensure nothing gets in my way in the foreseeable future. But who to start with?" He slowly paces in the room. "No matter who goes first, you all die anyway. Hmm, maybe I should start with you." And his eyes look straight into my soul as he says this.

"Metatron!" Dean bellows.

"Like I said, no matter who goes in what order, everyone except me is going to die." I struggle, looking at anything but Metatron. "So, little Josette Winchester. Shame we didn't get to spend more time together. You seem to be a fascinating hunter. Yet...you've been around all this time, and now I'm just meeting you? Such a wasted opportunity."

"Didn't your parents ever tell you to not play with your food?" I hiss. I have to look down on him. "You didn't want us on the ground? You didn't want us on your level? Hell, I'm taller than you."

This provokes him, and I get a stab to my hip. I scream, and a collective rattling of chains echoes in the room. I gasp, feeling the blood seep out.

"Oh yeah, you're definitely dying first."

"Metatron!" This time, Cas bellows the angel's name.

"I believe the name you're looking for is 'God'." He grins slyly.

"Yeah, well, will your followers ever know what you've done, what you plan to do?" asks Sam. "Will they ever know that you slaughtered us like livestock?"

"They'll never need to know, or have to. Now." I stiffen as the angel blade—dipped in my blood—touches under my chin. "Any last words, Josette, before I send you packing? Oh, by the way, good luck getting into Heaven. I've put you on the no fly list."

I snarl and kick out at him. My knee connects with his chin, and in return Metatron stabs me in the stomach.

"No!" I hear the boys shout.

"Well, it's only a matter of time before she bleeds out, so who's next?" Metatron brightens.

"You're sick," I pant, dipping my head. There's a red hole in my clothes, and it's spreading. "You're not an angel, you're a demon. You practically act like one."

"But see, here's the difference between me and them—"

"There is no difference." I yelp as I receive a blade to the face.

"Interrupting isn't nice, Josette. Surely your parents taught you better than that."

I pull my head around to give Metatron a death glare. I know he knows about my parents, how they've been gone for a while now. I know Mom's in Heaven, I can't picture her in Hell. Dad made a deal with a demon, he's most likely in Hell.

"As I was saying, the difference between me and them is that I have just reason to kill you, as opposed to them wanting to do it just for sport." Metatron turns his back to me. "Okay, who's next?"

My eyes meet with Cas's, and he looks absolutely heartbroken. It's like he's saying, I'm sorry I put you through this. I'm sorry I let this happen to you. I never wanted this for you.

If I could break free of these chains, I'd hug all of the guys one last time. I want to be in comfort since I'm dying, but unless a miracle happens, I'll be dying strung up like slaughter meat.

***

"Ouch," I hiss as I sit up. I know I'll have a knot on the back of my head, but Dean's gonna have a bigger one when I get to him.

Naturally, he's nowhere in sight. Slowly, I use my truck to get to my feet. I stagger over to Sam, who's been knocked out cold too.

"Sammy." I tap his face. "Sammy, wake up." I look down the road, where Dean's no doubt gone to find Metatron. "Sammy." I know he's not dead, but boy he's sure acting like it. No response, not even a twitch from him. "Ugh, damn it." I get to my feet and look down the road.

At the fastest speed I know I can do, I head for the homeless encampment, leaving Sam behind. He'll know where to go, he'll figure out the pieces.

Whether Dean likes it or not, I'm coming.

**[sighs loudly that souls in Hell can hear] Deaaaaaan, why you gotta refuse help from your little siblings, eh? Come on.

The next few chapters, angels, well...they're gonna be rough.**