Chapter 16

Dean pulled up to a farmhouse in a rural farmland. Jenna's grandma's house.

Jenna, Dean, and I climb out of the Impala with Amara in Jenna's arms.

"Well, nice neighborhood," Dean said, looking around. This was the type of place I could see myself retiring too. Little kids and a dog running around. It sounded like paradise.

"It is," Jenna said, "Do you mind?" She asked, handing Amara over to Dean.

"Yeah," He said, looking down at her, "Hey, beautiful."

Jenna grabbed the diaper bag, "When you said somewhere safe, this is the first place I thought of."

I nodded, "Good. Safe is good right now." Amara stirs a little in Dean's arm, causing him to bounce her while I sshhed her.

Watching us with a smile, Jenna said to us, "You two are so great with her. Are you sure you don't want to take her?"

I looked at Jenna, giving her a reassuring smile, "Someone's got to stop this."

"Well, look, we should..." Dean said and Jenna nodded, taking Amara from him. "You're gonna be okay, both of you," he said, touching Amara's foot.

Jenna nodded, "I know. What about you guys and Sam? Are you gonna be okay?"

"Well, for us, the bar's pretty low so, who knows," He shrugged.

She shook her head, smiling, "Dean. Brooke. Thank you... For everything." She wrapped her arms around Dean before doing the same to me, giving us a hug just as Jenna's grandma comes out to greet her granddaughter. With that cue, Dean and I climbed back into the Impala before driving off.

Once we were a good enough distance away from the farm, I tried calling Cas but got nothing. "Nothing, he's still not picking up," I said, hanging up my phone.

"Damn it, Cas. What have you gotten yourself into?" Dean mumbled.

There was a pause in the Impala, my mind wandering a bit before I finally spoke up. "Dean, are we sure we should have left Amara with them?"

"What do you mean? She's probable safer there than anywhere else."

I nodded, "No, I know, it's just... I don't know. I've just had a funny feeling ever since I woke up. I guess I just have stuff on my mind, that's all."

Dean asked then spoke sarcastically, "Like what? It's not like there's a laundry list of things going on."

Smiling at his words I agreed with a faint, "Yeah."

I should tell Dean what I saw in my head. If I expect Dean to open up about things with the Darkness, then I need too also. Sucking in a breath, I spoke, "I saw something. I don't know, maybe it was a vision, or a memory, or what. I saw the Darkness, she talked to me."

Dean glanced between the road and me, looking curious, "What'd she say?"

I scuffed, unsure of what to really say. "That I'm a strong woman, and that she hopes to learn how to be like that." Dean eyed me, clearly confused just like me. I shook my head, "I don't know, whatever she meant probable wasn't good."

"Yeah," Dean mumbled. Suddenly, Dean's phone rings, causing him to answer it. "Ghostbusters. Jenna, hey. Uh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. What's wrong?"

Suddenly, Dean hung up and made a sharp U-turn. "Well, you may have been right about the funny feeling. Apparently Amara isn't as human as we thought."

I looked at Dean in shock for a moment before grabbing my own phone. "I'm calling Sam." He answered right away, letting me fill him in on what we just heard.

Sam paused in shock, "I mean, it sounds like something out of "The Exorcist.""

"Yeah, no kidding," I agreed.

"So you thinking demon?" Sam asked?

Dean shrugged, "Or kid got infected by something. You know, who knows what was in that giant, crazy fart?"

I eyed Dean, making a "really" face.

Shaking his head and waving his hand, Dean said, "Look, man, I know you're flying solo..."

"No, I'm, I'm fine, Dean. Look, don't you guys worry about me. Just, you guys help Jenna. And if you need anything, then call me."

"Will do."

I spoke up, "How are you doing? Find anything on a cure?"

Sam sucked in a breath before saying, "It's good. And no, not yet, still looking. Good luck you guys."

"You too," I replied before hanging up.

We pulled up to Jenna's grandmother's house to have Jenna greet us outside.

"Hey, where's the kid?"

"We got another problem," Amara said.

"Figures," I mumbled.

Jenna sighed, leading us towards the house. "I tried to stop her, but my grandma's real Catholic, and after the crazy, she called her priest, who sent over an exorcist."

Dean eyed her, "Really?"

"I'll be honest, kind of thought those people died out by now," I mumbled, causing Dean to nod and mumble, "Yeah."

We entered the house to find the "priest" sitting at the table drinking tea. The only problem was that this was not a priest and in fact the opposite.

"Crowley?" I said, my eyes wide.

"Hello, my son and daughter," Crowley said, making me roll my eyes as Dean says, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Jenna eyed us, confused, "Do you guys know each other?"

Dean and I opened our mouths to speak only to have Crowley stop us. "Oh, yes. Dean was a rather scrumptious young altar boy. And Brooke has a beautiful singing voice. Front row in our choir."

His words reminded me of when Dean was a demon and we were at a bar and I sang. The memory made me shake my head as I tried to forget.

"Can we talk to you outside... Father?" Dean asked, not really asking.

"Of course. After I finish my tea," Crowley said making Dean and I eye him.

Once he was done we headed outside into the night. "Really? Father Crowley? Really?" Dean asked?

"I'm sorry, aging, pathetic, has been rock star. Did I offend your delicate sensibilities?"

Crossing my arms, I said, "Oh, get off your high horse, Crowley."

"Where have you two been? Your brother and that idiot angel, do you know what they've been doing?"

"We've heard."

"Everything?"

Dean sighed, angry, "Enough. What are you doing here?"

Crowley shrugged, "Same as you, I'm working the case."

"How did you find us?" Dean asked?

"I have sources in the Catholic church, nuns that owe me a favor, priests with a taste for-"

Dean waved his hands and shook his head, "Okay, all right, yeah, I can imagine."

"I don't really want too," I said.

Crowley continued, "Anyhow, they hear of a demonic possession, they call me. If it's one of mine, I tell them to ignore it. If it's a, uh, demon gone rogue, well, that's when Father Crowley comes out to play."

"So you think there's a demon in there," I asked, not truly believing it.

"Not even a little bit. Whatever's in that house, I can taste the power radiating from it. That thing, it's old, deep, and dark."

The sound of Jenna's grandma letting out a blood curdling scream grabs our attentions and Dean and I are quick to run in. "Jenna! Jenna!" We yell, heading into the kitchen.

We stop in our tracks at the sight of Jenna's grandma laying on the floor, throat cut and blood staining the hardwood.

Crowley spoke up behind us, seeming slightly surprised, "Well, hello, plot twist."

Dean and I climb the stairs, calling out Jenna's name in hopes of finding her. We half expected to walk into one of these rooms and find her lying dead. The other half expected her to be the killer.

Grabbing Dean's arm and stopping me as well, Crowley eyed us, "Really?"

"What?" Dean asked, pulling his arm away.

"We have no idea what ancient, world shattering evil we're dealing with, but go right ahead. Let him know we're coming!"

Dean put his hand out, making a point, "Listen, Velma, this isn't the Scooby gang, okay? So either shut up or get out."

"Easy, tiger. Just trying to help," Crowley said and Amara is heard crying. Dean turns and heads towards her room as Crowley speaks up. "And I'm way more of a Daphne."

I scuffed, walking past Crowley as I said, "You wish."

Cautiously, Dean opens Amara's door, him and me walking in. At the sight of us, Amara stops crying, looking up at us. I lay my hand next to Amara, causing her to grab onto my finger. Dean reached down, pushing Amara's onesie away and finding the Mark of Cain on her shoulder, like a birth mark.

How did I not notice this before?

Amara stares up at Dean and I and smiles, still holding onto my finger as Dean and I just stare at her.

Crowley spoke up in the doorway, "The child likes you two. No surprise, really. You're very maternal."

Dean pulled away, "We gotta find Jenna." He turned, walking away and causing me to do the same. We headed to one of the spare bedrooms, finding Jenna inside, breaking the angel figurines.

"Jenna? What are you doing?" Dean asked?

"My grandma collected these things, but I always thought they were so... Blah. Don't worry. She won't care. I cut her throat."

The way Jenna spoke was like soulless, with no fear or worries.

"Why did you do that," I asked, cautiously stepping towards her.

"Because this woman doesn't have a soul," Crowley said, making us look at him before looking back at Jenna.

"What are you talking about? How is that even possible?" Dean asked, equally as confused as I was.

Jenna spoke up again, "Amara's hungry. She's a growing girl."

Dean stepped forward, standing next to me, "Jenna. Listen to me. Whatever's happened, whatever's going on, we can fix it, okay?"

"But I don't want to be fixed. I like the new me. She's a ball."

"Just come with us, okay?" Dean said, reaching a hand out towards her. Jenna grabbed his wrist, twisting it before turning him around. She had him in a headlock, choking him.

I grab onto Jenna, yelling, "Jenna! Stop!" I pull her back, her body struggling in my arms. She suddenly head-buts me and I stumble back. She turns to grab ahold of me only for her body to be tossed up into the ceiling before falling back down, dead.

My mouth parts in shock as does Dean as we face Crowley in the doorway. "I was getting bored," He replied casually.

"You killed her!" Dean yelled, standing.

"You're welcome," Crowley said like it was an obvious response.

I made my way over to Dean, grabbing his arm as I do a quick look over to make sure he doesn't have any pressing injuries. Minus a headache, I'm good.

Crowley suddenly turned as if he was going to leave, only for Dean's words to stop him. "Where are you going?"

"To see the child that eats souls."

"You don't get what that thing is," Dean said, taking a step towards Crowley.

Crowley shrugged, giving us a fake smile, "Enlighten me. Come on, darlings. Don't play coy."

I look at Dean before saying with a sigh, "We think Amara is the Darkness."

Crowley hums in response, "Interesting. So, what now? You two kill her?"

"We don't have a choice," Dean says with a shrug, but I know his words hold no guarantee, because mine wouldn't either.

It seemed I wasn't the only one thinking that because Crowley scuffed, "Please. Even if you two could murder a baby, you couldn't murder that baby. I saw the way you both looked at her. It was like watching a cute, little, family. Me, on the other hand, it's not like it'd be my first."

"Oh, is that an offer?" Dean said, anger in his voice.

"It's a promise, right after I'm done with her."

Dean started to head to Crowley, yelling, "Stay away from her!" He's suddenly thrown into the closet next to him, breaking the doors and groaning.

I eyed Crowley, venom in my voice as I started, "You son of a-" before I can finish, I'm frozen in my spot, unable to speak or move.

Crowley stalks towards me as he speak, "You know, I've been pretty nice to you, not dragging you to Hell and what not. But, I think it's time for a change."

Suddenly, he uses his powers and I'm tossed in the air, flying through the second story window and towards the ground. I want to scream but it's like the air is sucked out of me. Instead, I hear Dean yell for me as I close my eyes, preparing to hit the ground.

Instead, right before I hit the ground, I come to a heavy halt. Something holds me in the air just above the ground, keeping me from landing on it. My head turns, looking off and seeing, at the end of the driveway, a little girl standing there.

I hear the Darkness' voice in my head, repeating as she said before, "I'll protect Dean, and I'll protect you."

I'm snapped back into reality when my body hits the ground with a thud. When I turn and look back at the young girl, she's gone.

No way was that Amara, she was just a baby. Right?

Dean comes running out of the house, heading towards me, "Brooke!" He bends down next to me, looking me over confused, surprised, and grateful. He looks up at the window before looking at me, "That was a two story drop. You barley have a scratch on you."

"I was saved," I said, almost like in shock.

"By who?" Dean ask?

I don't need to answer because my look seems to answer Dean's question.

Crowley was gone and Amara, however old she was, was also gone. Seeing that things had come to a halt, we called Sam, who had found a cure and saved some people, before heading home.

When we arrived, Sam was right behind us, seeming shocked by what we had said on the phone.

"All right, I still don't understand. I mean, I thought the darkness was a woman, not a child."

Dean shrugged, setting down his bag as he said, "Well, same here. I don't know. Maybe whatever we saw wasn't real. Maybe it was a vision."

"Vision?" Sam asked, confused.

"Wouldn't be the first one," I mumbled, setting down my bag on the table.

We see in the book room tons of books laying on the floor in a mountain shape pile. Sam's face morphed a confused look, "Weird."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, weird with a weird cherry on top. We got to get maid." He suddenly smirks and turns, looking at me.

I scuffed, chuckling, "You wish honey."

"Kind of. Little uniform, nice-" before Dean can finish is comment, a noise is heard coming from behind the stack of books.

The three of us pull out our guns, moving behind the books cautiously. We stop at the sight of Cas laying on the floor, bleeding out like crazy. He looks up at us, mumbling, "Help me."

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