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xtremeroswelliaTwo Guys, a Girl, and a Chevy Impala, Fic 11: Viva Las Vegas (1/?)
Authors: xtremeroswellia and clarksmuse
Rated: NC-17. Big time!
Disclaimer: Not ours. Don't sue.
Pairing: Sam/Sarah, Dean/Chloe
Chapter Two
Chloe sat at her computer, gazing at the screen intently and taking a sip of her latte. She felt more than heard Dean come up behind her. "Morning, Sleepyhead."
Dropping a kiss on her head, Dean grabbed the coffee cup out of her hand and took a long sip. "Mmm, good coffee," he muttered, smiling at her lazily at her playful glare.
"Of course it's good. I made it." She smirked.
"The best, then," he insisted, helping himself to a cup of coffee and pouring more for her. "Why are you up so early? It's barely dawn." They should still be in bed, he thought with a leer.
"Couldn't sleep anymore," she said with a small shrug.
He smiled seductively. "I have ways of wearing you out, ya know," he stated suggestively, putting the coffee on the desk before swiveling her around and kissing her deeply
"I know you do. But you were so peaceful. I didn't wanna wake you." She leaned her forehead against his.
He smiled faintly. "Always wake me, Chloe." Kissing her forehead, he pulled away and looked at her laptop. "Now what's my girl searching for at the crack of dawn?"
"It's almost ten," she corrected him with a smirk, moving out of the way so he could have a better view of her research.
He glanced at the closed drapes and smirked. "No wonder it's so dark in here." He rubbed his eyes and took a sip of his coffee. "You're researching Sam, aren't you?" He glanced through the webpage she had pulled up and frowned. After the 33.1 incident, a little R&R sounded nice. That wasn't going to really happen, however, until they found out the truth behind Dad's comments about Sam.
"Yeah. I am," she admitted softly.
"Any luck on that 'fallen angel' theory you and Sarah have?" he asked, pulling her into his lap while he read.
Chloe bit her lip. "Sort of," she whispered.
"Define that," he stated, frowning. "I'm not a mind reader, you know."
"I think I've found a way to find out for sure what Sam is." Her voice was soft.
"Really? I'm all ears. Should we go get Sam and Sarah and let them in on this?" He tried to stand but Chloe wouldn't let him.
"No. Not until we know for sure. I think...we should just...do this on our own."
Dean cocked an eyebrow at her but said nothing. "Okay, babe. Tell me what you've dug up."
"According to the research I've done...if you go to a crossroads, you can invoke a spirit that answers questions that separate humans from...other things."
"Hang on a second, Chloe," he stated in a flat tone, not looking at her. "Crossroads are dangerous places and not the place to be. Ever. I've seen some scary shit happen at one of those."
"Dean, Sam needs answers. And this is the only thing I've come up with after weeks of researching."
"We all need answers, but I don't know if this is the place to get them," he said as quietly as possible. "Deals are made at a crossroads. With demons. You think they're going to tell us the truth about my brother?"
"No, this isn't a demon, Dean. The invocation is very specific."
"How specific we talking, here?" he asked her, his brows furrowed.
"Very. It calls a spirit by the name of Papa Legba."
"Why does that name sound vaguely familiar?" he asked, mostly to himself. He put Chloe on his feet so he could get up. He rummaged around, found his father's journal and began leafing through the worn pages.
"What is it?" she asked softly, watching him intently.
"Ah," he said after a few minutes. "Dad mentioned this guy. He's actually more of a gatekeeper, so to speak. There's some very specific herbs we have to use, but... it's possible." He looked at Chloe uncertain of her reaction.
She raised her eyebrows. "Is that a yes?"
"No, that's a hell yes," he replied with a serious smile. "I have to know if Dad was lying to me, Chloe. I just... I have to know." His shoulders slumped a little bit in sadness.
"Dean, even if he was wrong, it doesn't mean he was lying," she said softly.
"You don't understand, Chloe," he whispered, staring at his father's journal. "Dad wouldn't lie about something like this."
"No, I'm saying he may have been given wrong information that he believed was true." Her voice was quiet.
He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. She was right, he knew that. The question was, could he handle finding out the truth for himself? "Yeah, I get what you're saying," he said softly, starting to pace the room.
"Hey. It's gonna be okay."
He smiled a little, though it didn't touch his eyes. "Yeah, I hope so."
She crossed the room to where he stood and slid her arms around him.
Dean pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. "Let's head out. Get the stuff we need to summon this god. Time we started getting answer, because all I have these days are questions."
That makes two of us, she thought grimly. She pulled away and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Let's go."
Grinning, he took her hand and let her to the door. He noticed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the room across the hall and smirked. "So *that's* the reason you don't want Sam and Sarah involved in this?" he joked, a knowing smirk on his face.
She gave him a look. "No teasing them about it," she said.
He chuckled. "No teasing, I swear. I was just thinking... it's about damn time Sammy got laid." He nearly laughed his head off at the blush that spread across Chloe's cheeks.
Taking his arm, she led him toward the elevator. "All right, enough about our friends' sex lives."
Dean followed Chloe, a cheesy smile on his face. "No, see, you don't understand, Chlo. I've been trying for over a year to get him hooked up with someone..."
She shot him a look. "You know maybe for Sam it's more than just about hooking up."
His face fell a little. "And sometimes you just gotta learn to have a little fun, that's all I'm saying." He bowed his head, grimacing at what he just said.
She bit her lower lip, not responding as she stepped onto the elevator when the doors slid open. She pushed the button for the lobby.
He watched her as he leaned back against the elevator wall and sighed. "Smooth, Dean. Real smooth."
"It's not a big deal." Her voice was quiet.
"Yes, it is, Chloe... because I used to live my life by that credo... before I met... you." His voice was low and filled with honesty.
"But...you don't anymore."
"No, I don't," he replied, taking her hand and pulling her to him. "You're all I want anymore."
"Then the past doesn't matter." She gazed up at him.
"Not to me, it doesn't," he whispered, leaning his head down and kissing her on the lips.
Chloe returned the kiss, reaching up to touch his cheek.
The elevator doors slid open quietly, causing Dean to quickly move away from her. "Come on," he sighed, a little frustrated, as he led her through the mass of people waiting for the elevator, several with grins on their faces.
A faint blush stained her cheeks as she held his hand and let him lead her from the elevator.
They walked through the maze of people walking around. Dean had never, in all his travels, seen anything quite as intense as the massive rows of slot machines and people sitting at them. He shook his head in amusement, wondering if Sam really could make them rich at the tables... if he and Sarah ever surfaced, that is.
He had the valet get the Impala this time and turned to Chloe. "There's only a few things we need for the summoning ceremony... a book of chants, a little crossroad dust, some rum..."
"Rum?" She arched an eyebrow and looked at him.
He gave her a look. "Apparently the ritual begins by getting drunk and making love on the crossroad itself..." He grinned when her eyes grew dark with irritation.
"Cute. Very cute." She rolled her eyes.
He shrugged. "It's a Haitian god, right? They love their rum, what can I say?" The Impala pulled up in front of them with a squeal of brakes. He gave the valet a dirty look as he walked around and got in the driver's seat.
Chloe suppressed a grin and moved to get in the passenger seat. She had a feeling it was going to be a very interesting night.
&&&&&
Chloe drew in a breath as she climbed out of the Impala at the crossroads she and Dean had located outside of Vegas. The night air was damp and cool and she pulled her coat around her more tightly, glancing at him and seeing his tense, focused expression.
Flipping through the spell book they had bought at a Voodoo trinket store along the main strip, Dean found the spell he needed in order to call Papa Legba. "If this works, he'll appear as an old man," he told her. "You have your gun, though, just in case?"
"Check," she said, pulling it from her purse and moving closer to where he was standing. "You ready?"
He took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be," he whispered, handing her the bottle of rum. "Okay, that's the center of the crossroads," he replied, pointing in front of him. "Pour out about a shot, and I'll start chanting when you're finished."
Here goes nothing, Chloe thought, taking the bottle from him and moving to the center as he'd instructed. She bit her lower lip, pouring out a little on the ground, then backing away.
Dean started the chant, the soft song-like words spilling from his lips like he had done this a million times. He sprinkled the wet ground with the crossroad dirt he had picked up when they got there as he spoke somberly. When he was finished, he shut the book and stepped back, waiting.
A soft wind blew from out of nowhere and Chloe swallowed hard, looking around and feeling the change in the air. A bright light lit up the crossroads--so bright she had to shield her eyes. And when the light faded, a lone figure stood with their back to her and Dean. She held her breath.
"Son of a--" Dean began, the light emanating from the spot nearly blinding him. He put a hand in front of his eyes to look into it. He saw a lone figure and knew it to be Papa Legba. What he didn't count on was it looking like his dead father. "Holy shit," he whispered when the light disappeared, putting his hand down slowly, disbelieving his eyes.
"Dean? What is it?" she whispered, her eyebrows furrowing as she turned to look at the spirit.
"It's my father," he stated in a flat, dull tone. Dammit, of all the things or people it could have chosen to be, why him?
Chloe sucked in a breath, reaching out and taking hold of his arm as the man slowly turned the rest of the way around to face them.
"Hey, Dean." His voice was quiet as he gazed at Dean.
"Dad." Dean's voice was hard as a rock as he spoke. "Though not Dad, aren't you?"
John smiled faintly and took a couple steps closer to them. "Actually, I am."
He snorted in disgust. "Oh, came back from the dead to tell me more bullshit about Sam, is that it?" His fists balled, the anger he had kept inside for so long finally coming out. "Thought we raised a god. Guess this wasn't the right spot."
"Dean," Chloe whispered, keeping her hand on his arm.
John looked at the ground. "I told you what I thought was true at the time."
"And it's a lie now?" he rasped, Chloe's touch being the only thing keeping him from hitting the thing that looked like his father. "You wanna tell Sam that, now that he knows, dammit?"
"I never meant to hurt you, Dean. Or your brother." John looked up at him, sorrow in his eyes.
Dean threw his hands up in the air. "Congratulations, Dad, because you did a helluva good job not hurting us." He turned and tried to leave.
"Stop," Chloe whispered, hanging onto his arm and turning to look at John. "So Sam's...not part demon?" she asked, gazing at him intently.
"No, he's not, Chloe," John answered, turning to look at her.
Dean whirled around. "Then why in the hell did you tell me he was?" he snarled, walking towards the thing that looked like his father. "You don't just tell me something like that and then die, dammit! It's total crap!" His eyes flashed with anger and frustration.
"Because at the time I believed it was true, Dean." John gazed at him intently. "I've never steered you wrong intentionally."
"But why did you think that Sam was a demon, Mr. Winchester?" Chloe asked, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Yeah, Dad," Dean replied, crossing his arms. "Why tell me misinformation? Do you get what that's done to Sam's head?"
"Because someone I trusted had a lot of information on Sam and the others like him," John told them. "He convinced me it was true. I should have known better."
Dean looked at Chloe, surprised. "Should have... known better?" he asked out loud. His gaze slid back to John. "Who was it, Dad?"
He was quiet for a moment, his gaze shifting to Chloe momentarily. "Lex Luthor."
She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes widening a little.
How the hell did Dad know Lex Luthor? Dean thought, running a frustrated hand through his hair and across his face. He glanced at Chloe, who had become pale and put an arm around her. "You understand he's working with the Yellow-Eyed Demon, right, Dad?" he asked wearily.
"I do now," he said grimly. "Lex and Lionel Luthor are in this every bit as deep as you and Sammy are, Dean. They're just on the opposite side. And that makes them incredibly dangerous."
Chloe swallowed hard. "And they were pretty dangerous before."
He squeezed Chloe a little bit, trying to comfort her. "So if Sam's not a demon, does that mean he's just human with special powers?" he asked quietly, wondering if all this had been for nothing.
"No. Your brother is different. But he's not evil." John gazed at him intently, giving him a meaningful look.
Dean swallowed hard, not able to look away from his father, the man who had pushed him, irritated him, bullied him... taught him. The muscles in his face grew tight with emotion as he fought to keep it together. "Sammy's...?" He started, unable to finish his question. He's not evil, he kept thinking. He's okay.
"Going to lead this battle between good and evil," he answered.
"What?" he said, his entire body going still.
John nodded slightly. "Your brother's not like the others like we originally thought, Dean. He's special."
"Mr. Winchester, is Sam...an angel?" Chloe asked, voice barely audible.
He smiled faintly at her question. "It's too bad we didn't have you and Sarah around a lot sooner. We could've used your help with the research."
Dean was too shocked to question exactly how John knew about Chloe and Sarah. "Wait, so you're telling me Sam really is an angel?" he asked quietly. Lord, I'll never heard the end of it, he thought to himself, grimacing.
"Half, actually." He gazed at his son once more.
"How, Dad? You and Mom are... were... human."
"I was," he said quietly.
His mind was empty for several moments. Then he began to pace around in small circles. Mom was an angel... "A real angel?" he thought out loud. Which begged the question... "What am I, then?"
Chloe watched him with wide eyes, her heart thumping in her chest.
"You're half, too, Dean. But you didn't inherit Mary's powers."
The chuckle that escaped his lips was bitter, filled with confusion. He felt like his brain was going to explode. Literally. "That's great, Dad. You're telling me Mom was an angel from Heaven, both Sam and I are half-breeds, Sam's powers came from Mom, and you're dead because...?" He didn't look at either Chloe or his father; rather, his eyes focused on the ground as he muttered out loud.
"Because it wasn't your time," John said, his voice stronger than it had been.
Still not looking in Chloe's direction, he eyed John as he paced. "Yes it was, Dad."
"Chloe, can you excuse us for a moment, please?" He didn't look away from Dean.
Swallowing hard, she simply nodded and moved over to stand beside the Impala.
Dean stopped long enough to watch Chloe leave, his heart sinking at what she must be feeling currently. If it was anything remotely close to his riotous thoughts, it was a wonder she didn't take the Impala and leave. Sigh a heavy sigh, he looked at his father.
John gazed at his son for a long moment. "Your brother needs you."
Yeah, and we both need you, Dad, Dean thought, his lips trembling just a little. He nodded but said nothing. "What can I do to help him? I'm nothing special."
A faint smile touched his lips. "You're wrong about that. You're a warrior, Dean. If it hadn't been for you, your brother and I would have both been dead long ago."
"Only because you taught me, Dad," he whispered, thinking about his tumultuous childhood and blinking back the tears that suddenly pricked his eyes. "I can't do this anymore, dammit. And Sam and I... we're not alone anymore. Yeah, Chloe and Sarah are pretty kick ass about a lot of stuff and can carry their weight, but... you should be here for this." He looked down and away, admitting out loud his fears and doubts. He couldn't do it. The burden was too much.
"I wish I could be. I wish this wasn't such a heavy weight to carry. For either of you. But it is what it is, Dean."
"Dad..." The tears slipped down his face as he stared at the ground. "What am I supposed to do? How do I tell Sam about his... role in this war?"
John gazed at him. "Honestly. He'll be okay. He just needs some help figuring it all out. And he's got that."
Dean briefly thought about that sign he'd seen on Sam's door earlier that day and smiled faintly. Yeah, he had Sarah, he and Chloe besides. He snuck a look at the Impala and saw Chloe watching them, a cross of despair and worry written over her face. "Yeah, he's got that," he repeated, watching her.
He followed his son's gaze, a smile gracing his lips once more. "I like her."
"Got you beat, there, Dad, because I love her," he replied with a momentary peaceful smile. "She helps... calm the storm inside."
"I know. She'll make a great mother one day."
Dean turned a suspicious eye on John. "You telling me something I should know?" he asked.
"Not yet. Just saying one day." He nodded, a knowing smile on his face.
Dean smirked and kept his gaze on his dad. "So how in the hell do we bring down the Luthors, and the Demon? Got anything useful to pass along?" He heard the edge in his voice and cringed inwardly. He never really spoke to his father like this before, but really... things were different, weren’t they?
"Help Sammy get his powers under control."
"We're working on that," he replied, wiping the tears from his face. "Chloe's been helping Sam master the art of mind reading, which is more than freaky... speaking of which, can you tell me why Chloe can read Sam's thoughts, too?" The question just popped out of his mouth before he realized what he had asked.
"She's not crazy," John answered, glancing toward her and then back at his son. "But long-term exposure to the meteor rocks in Smallville has been known to have side-effects."
"Damn, the meteor-rocks. I knew it was something," he replied. "At least I can tell her it's the rocks and not anything about her mother..." He sighed and finally looking up at his dad. "I miss you, Dad."
John met Dean's gaze. "I miss you and your brother, too, Dean. Take care of each other. All of you."
Dean chuckled. "Sam's gonna kick my ass when he finds out I talked to you. He'd want you to meet Sarah."
He smiled faintly.
Dean opened his mouth to ask another question, this one about the Luthors, but his father vanished suddenly before his eyes. No fireworks or bright light: he just disappeared into the night. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stood there for a moment, lost in thought. "Good-bye, Dad," he whispered out loud, feeling more at peace with himself for the first time in nearly a year.
Chloe slowly approached him from behind, worry in her green eyes. "Dean?" she whispered.
He turned around and immediately pulled her in his arms, holding her tightly. He couldn't speak: his tongue felt tied up in knots.
She slid her arms around him, holding him tightly and swallowing hard.
He kissed the top of her head several times, smiling. "Dad liked you," he whispered after several moments.
"He did?" There was surprise in her voice.
He pulled back and looked at her. "Yeah, he did. Why sound surprised?" He looked at her, his eyes warm with emotion.
She shrugged a little, gazing up at him. "Are you okay?"
He sighed. "Yeah, I... I think I am." He looked down at her and smiled a little. "More important question is, are you okay, Chloe?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. I was just worried about you." She touched his cheek.
"Maybe that's a good thing," he whispered, closing his eyes and leaning into her touch. "We have a lot of work to do. Got a lot of weight to carry."
Nodding slightly, Chloe studied him. She could already feel the change. Hear it in his voice. There was a newfound determination there and it made her smile faintly. "And we will."
Grasping her hand, he kissed her open palm. "Just so you know, you're not crazy." He opened his eyes and grinned at her.
A flicker of confusion clouded her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Dad said that this freaky mind-reading thing you have with Sam is just the meteor-rocks from your home screwing with you... that you're not crazy." He cocked his head, curious. "What does that mean, exactly?"
Chloe shut her eyes. "The meteor rocks. Of course." She let out a breath, rubbing her face with one hand. "Guess it means I'm one of them now."
"One of... who now?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her back to the Impala.
A wry smile touched her lips. "A Smallville meteor freak."
"But I thought they were... ya know... freaks." He teased her gently with a small loving smile.
She smirked and looked at him. "I seem to recall you mentioning once you liked freaks."
He laughed. "Maybe I do. It just makes me love you more." He smoothed her forehead with his fingertips, the urge to kiss her strong suddenly.
She leaned back against the side of the Impala, gazing up at him. "Good to know," she whispered, tilting her head up and kissing him on the lips.
Dean pushed his body against hers, kissing her deeply and fully. His body leapt awake at her soft moan. "You know," he whispered, breaking the kiss to nip at her ear, "we can always see what happens if we make love on the crossroad. Might be... interesting." There was a hint of teasing amusement in his voice.
She laughed. "Interesting as that sounds, I think we should pass on that opportunity."
Opening the passenger side door for her, Dean said, "Good, because I can think of better places to be with you." He flashed his best smile at her, realizing suddenly how lucky he and Sam had been the day they picked her up on the side of the road. His smile grew wider.
"Do I even wanna know?" she teased.
"Oh hell yes," he replied with another sensual smile. "I say we drop this on Sam and Sarah tomorrow."
"So you've got other plans in mind for the rest of the night." A grin tugged at her lips.
Shutting the passenger side once she got in, he raced around to the driver's side. "Am I that transparent?" he asked, looping another grin at her as he started the car.
"A little bit." Chloe smiled and looked at him sideways.
"How does dining in sound? Followed by a nice relaxing bath?" He thought of her naked in a bubble bath and nearly jumped out of his skin. "Besides, we need to let the lovebirds have their quiet time."
"Now that sounds pretty impossible to turn down." Her voice was low, sensual.
Dean simply grinned in response, hammering down on the gas pedal. They couldn't get to the hotel quickly enough. More importantly, though, he felt like this impending war John had mentioned and Oliver Queen had first told them about seemed more plausible... and with Sam at the head of this operation, he knew they would win.
Authors: xtremeroswellia and clarksmuse
Rated: NC-17. Big time!
Disclaimer: Not ours. Don't sue.
Pairing: Sam/Sarah, Dean/Chloe
Chapter Two
Chloe sat at her computer, gazing at the screen intently and taking a sip of her latte. She felt more than heard Dean come up behind her. "Morning, Sleepyhead."
Dropping a kiss on her head, Dean grabbed the coffee cup out of her hand and took a long sip. "Mmm, good coffee," he muttered, smiling at her lazily at her playful glare.
"Of course it's good. I made it." She smirked.
"The best, then," he insisted, helping himself to a cup of coffee and pouring more for her. "Why are you up so early? It's barely dawn." They should still be in bed, he thought with a leer.
"Couldn't sleep anymore," she said with a small shrug.
He smiled seductively. "I have ways of wearing you out, ya know," he stated suggestively, putting the coffee on the desk before swiveling her around and kissing her deeply
"I know you do. But you were so peaceful. I didn't wanna wake you." She leaned her forehead against his.
He smiled faintly. "Always wake me, Chloe." Kissing her forehead, he pulled away and looked at her laptop. "Now what's my girl searching for at the crack of dawn?"
"It's almost ten," she corrected him with a smirk, moving out of the way so he could have a better view of her research.
He glanced at the closed drapes and smirked. "No wonder it's so dark in here." He rubbed his eyes and took a sip of his coffee. "You're researching Sam, aren't you?" He glanced through the webpage she had pulled up and frowned. After the 33.1 incident, a little R&R sounded nice. That wasn't going to really happen, however, until they found out the truth behind Dad's comments about Sam.
"Yeah. I am," she admitted softly.
"Any luck on that 'fallen angel' theory you and Sarah have?" he asked, pulling her into his lap while he read.
Chloe bit her lip. "Sort of," she whispered.
"Define that," he stated, frowning. "I'm not a mind reader, you know."
"I think I've found a way to find out for sure what Sam is." Her voice was soft.
"Really? I'm all ears. Should we go get Sam and Sarah and let them in on this?" He tried to stand but Chloe wouldn't let him.
"No. Not until we know for sure. I think...we should just...do this on our own."
Dean cocked an eyebrow at her but said nothing. "Okay, babe. Tell me what you've dug up."
"According to the research I've done...if you go to a crossroads, you can invoke a spirit that answers questions that separate humans from...other things."
"Hang on a second, Chloe," he stated in a flat tone, not looking at her. "Crossroads are dangerous places and not the place to be. Ever. I've seen some scary shit happen at one of those."
"Dean, Sam needs answers. And this is the only thing I've come up with after weeks of researching."
"We all need answers, but I don't know if this is the place to get them," he said as quietly as possible. "Deals are made at a crossroads. With demons. You think they're going to tell us the truth about my brother?"
"No, this isn't a demon, Dean. The invocation is very specific."
"How specific we talking, here?" he asked her, his brows furrowed.
"Very. It calls a spirit by the name of Papa Legba."
"Why does that name sound vaguely familiar?" he asked, mostly to himself. He put Chloe on his feet so he could get up. He rummaged around, found his father's journal and began leafing through the worn pages.
"What is it?" she asked softly, watching him intently.
"Ah," he said after a few minutes. "Dad mentioned this guy. He's actually more of a gatekeeper, so to speak. There's some very specific herbs we have to use, but... it's possible." He looked at Chloe uncertain of her reaction.
She raised her eyebrows. "Is that a yes?"
"No, that's a hell yes," he replied with a serious smile. "I have to know if Dad was lying to me, Chloe. I just... I have to know." His shoulders slumped a little bit in sadness.
"Dean, even if he was wrong, it doesn't mean he was lying," she said softly.
"You don't understand, Chloe," he whispered, staring at his father's journal. "Dad wouldn't lie about something like this."
"No, I'm saying he may have been given wrong information that he believed was true." Her voice was quiet.
He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. She was right, he knew that. The question was, could he handle finding out the truth for himself? "Yeah, I get what you're saying," he said softly, starting to pace the room.
"Hey. It's gonna be okay."
He smiled a little, though it didn't touch his eyes. "Yeah, I hope so."
She crossed the room to where he stood and slid her arms around him.
Dean pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. "Let's head out. Get the stuff we need to summon this god. Time we started getting answer, because all I have these days are questions."
That makes two of us, she thought grimly. She pulled away and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Let's go."
Grinning, he took her hand and let her to the door. He noticed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the room across the hall and smirked. "So *that's* the reason you don't want Sam and Sarah involved in this?" he joked, a knowing smirk on his face.
She gave him a look. "No teasing them about it," she said.
He chuckled. "No teasing, I swear. I was just thinking... it's about damn time Sammy got laid." He nearly laughed his head off at the blush that spread across Chloe's cheeks.
Taking his arm, she led him toward the elevator. "All right, enough about our friends' sex lives."
Dean followed Chloe, a cheesy smile on his face. "No, see, you don't understand, Chlo. I've been trying for over a year to get him hooked up with someone..."
She shot him a look. "You know maybe for Sam it's more than just about hooking up."
His face fell a little. "And sometimes you just gotta learn to have a little fun, that's all I'm saying." He bowed his head, grimacing at what he just said.
She bit her lower lip, not responding as she stepped onto the elevator when the doors slid open. She pushed the button for the lobby.
He watched her as he leaned back against the elevator wall and sighed. "Smooth, Dean. Real smooth."
"It's not a big deal." Her voice was quiet.
"Yes, it is, Chloe... because I used to live my life by that credo... before I met... you." His voice was low and filled with honesty.
"But...you don't anymore."
"No, I don't," he replied, taking her hand and pulling her to him. "You're all I want anymore."
"Then the past doesn't matter." She gazed up at him.
"Not to me, it doesn't," he whispered, leaning his head down and kissing her on the lips.
Chloe returned the kiss, reaching up to touch his cheek.
The elevator doors slid open quietly, causing Dean to quickly move away from her. "Come on," he sighed, a little frustrated, as he led her through the mass of people waiting for the elevator, several with grins on their faces.
A faint blush stained her cheeks as she held his hand and let him lead her from the elevator.
They walked through the maze of people walking around. Dean had never, in all his travels, seen anything quite as intense as the massive rows of slot machines and people sitting at them. He shook his head in amusement, wondering if Sam really could make them rich at the tables... if he and Sarah ever surfaced, that is.
He had the valet get the Impala this time and turned to Chloe. "There's only a few things we need for the summoning ceremony... a book of chants, a little crossroad dust, some rum..."
"Rum?" She arched an eyebrow and looked at him.
He gave her a look. "Apparently the ritual begins by getting drunk and making love on the crossroad itself..." He grinned when her eyes grew dark with irritation.
"Cute. Very cute." She rolled her eyes.
He shrugged. "It's a Haitian god, right? They love their rum, what can I say?" The Impala pulled up in front of them with a squeal of brakes. He gave the valet a dirty look as he walked around and got in the driver's seat.
Chloe suppressed a grin and moved to get in the passenger seat. She had a feeling it was going to be a very interesting night.
&&&&&
Chloe drew in a breath as she climbed out of the Impala at the crossroads she and Dean had located outside of Vegas. The night air was damp and cool and she pulled her coat around her more tightly, glancing at him and seeing his tense, focused expression.
Flipping through the spell book they had bought at a Voodoo trinket store along the main strip, Dean found the spell he needed in order to call Papa Legba. "If this works, he'll appear as an old man," he told her. "You have your gun, though, just in case?"
"Check," she said, pulling it from her purse and moving closer to where he was standing. "You ready?"
He took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be," he whispered, handing her the bottle of rum. "Okay, that's the center of the crossroads," he replied, pointing in front of him. "Pour out about a shot, and I'll start chanting when you're finished."
Here goes nothing, Chloe thought, taking the bottle from him and moving to the center as he'd instructed. She bit her lower lip, pouring out a little on the ground, then backing away.
Dean started the chant, the soft song-like words spilling from his lips like he had done this a million times. He sprinkled the wet ground with the crossroad dirt he had picked up when they got there as he spoke somberly. When he was finished, he shut the book and stepped back, waiting.
A soft wind blew from out of nowhere and Chloe swallowed hard, looking around and feeling the change in the air. A bright light lit up the crossroads--so bright she had to shield her eyes. And when the light faded, a lone figure stood with their back to her and Dean. She held her breath.
"Son of a--" Dean began, the light emanating from the spot nearly blinding him. He put a hand in front of his eyes to look into it. He saw a lone figure and knew it to be Papa Legba. What he didn't count on was it looking like his dead father. "Holy shit," he whispered when the light disappeared, putting his hand down slowly, disbelieving his eyes.
"Dean? What is it?" she whispered, her eyebrows furrowing as she turned to look at the spirit.
"It's my father," he stated in a flat, dull tone. Dammit, of all the things or people it could have chosen to be, why him?
Chloe sucked in a breath, reaching out and taking hold of his arm as the man slowly turned the rest of the way around to face them.
"Hey, Dean." His voice was quiet as he gazed at Dean.
"Dad." Dean's voice was hard as a rock as he spoke. "Though not Dad, aren't you?"
John smiled faintly and took a couple steps closer to them. "Actually, I am."
He snorted in disgust. "Oh, came back from the dead to tell me more bullshit about Sam, is that it?" His fists balled, the anger he had kept inside for so long finally coming out. "Thought we raised a god. Guess this wasn't the right spot."
"Dean," Chloe whispered, keeping her hand on his arm.
John looked at the ground. "I told you what I thought was true at the time."
"And it's a lie now?" he rasped, Chloe's touch being the only thing keeping him from hitting the thing that looked like his father. "You wanna tell Sam that, now that he knows, dammit?"
"I never meant to hurt you, Dean. Or your brother." John looked up at him, sorrow in his eyes.
Dean threw his hands up in the air. "Congratulations, Dad, because you did a helluva good job not hurting us." He turned and tried to leave.
"Stop," Chloe whispered, hanging onto his arm and turning to look at John. "So Sam's...not part demon?" she asked, gazing at him intently.
"No, he's not, Chloe," John answered, turning to look at her.
Dean whirled around. "Then why in the hell did you tell me he was?" he snarled, walking towards the thing that looked like his father. "You don't just tell me something like that and then die, dammit! It's total crap!" His eyes flashed with anger and frustration.
"Because at the time I believed it was true, Dean." John gazed at him intently. "I've never steered you wrong intentionally."
"But why did you think that Sam was a demon, Mr. Winchester?" Chloe asked, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Yeah, Dad," Dean replied, crossing his arms. "Why tell me misinformation? Do you get what that's done to Sam's head?"
"Because someone I trusted had a lot of information on Sam and the others like him," John told them. "He convinced me it was true. I should have known better."
Dean looked at Chloe, surprised. "Should have... known better?" he asked out loud. His gaze slid back to John. "Who was it, Dad?"
He was quiet for a moment, his gaze shifting to Chloe momentarily. "Lex Luthor."
She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes widening a little.
How the hell did Dad know Lex Luthor? Dean thought, running a frustrated hand through his hair and across his face. He glanced at Chloe, who had become pale and put an arm around her. "You understand he's working with the Yellow-Eyed Demon, right, Dad?" he asked wearily.
"I do now," he said grimly. "Lex and Lionel Luthor are in this every bit as deep as you and Sammy are, Dean. They're just on the opposite side. And that makes them incredibly dangerous."
Chloe swallowed hard. "And they were pretty dangerous before."
He squeezed Chloe a little bit, trying to comfort her. "So if Sam's not a demon, does that mean he's just human with special powers?" he asked quietly, wondering if all this had been for nothing.
"No. Your brother is different. But he's not evil." John gazed at him intently, giving him a meaningful look.
Dean swallowed hard, not able to look away from his father, the man who had pushed him, irritated him, bullied him... taught him. The muscles in his face grew tight with emotion as he fought to keep it together. "Sammy's...?" He started, unable to finish his question. He's not evil, he kept thinking. He's okay.
"Going to lead this battle between good and evil," he answered.
"What?" he said, his entire body going still.
John nodded slightly. "Your brother's not like the others like we originally thought, Dean. He's special."
"Mr. Winchester, is Sam...an angel?" Chloe asked, voice barely audible.
He smiled faintly at her question. "It's too bad we didn't have you and Sarah around a lot sooner. We could've used your help with the research."
Dean was too shocked to question exactly how John knew about Chloe and Sarah. "Wait, so you're telling me Sam really is an angel?" he asked quietly. Lord, I'll never heard the end of it, he thought to himself, grimacing.
"Half, actually." He gazed at his son once more.
"How, Dad? You and Mom are... were... human."
"I was," he said quietly.
His mind was empty for several moments. Then he began to pace around in small circles. Mom was an angel... "A real angel?" he thought out loud. Which begged the question... "What am I, then?"
Chloe watched him with wide eyes, her heart thumping in her chest.
"You're half, too, Dean. But you didn't inherit Mary's powers."
The chuckle that escaped his lips was bitter, filled with confusion. He felt like his brain was going to explode. Literally. "That's great, Dad. You're telling me Mom was an angel from Heaven, both Sam and I are half-breeds, Sam's powers came from Mom, and you're dead because...?" He didn't look at either Chloe or his father; rather, his eyes focused on the ground as he muttered out loud.
"Because it wasn't your time," John said, his voice stronger than it had been.
Still not looking in Chloe's direction, he eyed John as he paced. "Yes it was, Dad."
"Chloe, can you excuse us for a moment, please?" He didn't look away from Dean.
Swallowing hard, she simply nodded and moved over to stand beside the Impala.
Dean stopped long enough to watch Chloe leave, his heart sinking at what she must be feeling currently. If it was anything remotely close to his riotous thoughts, it was a wonder she didn't take the Impala and leave. Sigh a heavy sigh, he looked at his father.
John gazed at his son for a long moment. "Your brother needs you."
Yeah, and we both need you, Dad, Dean thought, his lips trembling just a little. He nodded but said nothing. "What can I do to help him? I'm nothing special."
A faint smile touched his lips. "You're wrong about that. You're a warrior, Dean. If it hadn't been for you, your brother and I would have both been dead long ago."
"Only because you taught me, Dad," he whispered, thinking about his tumultuous childhood and blinking back the tears that suddenly pricked his eyes. "I can't do this anymore, dammit. And Sam and I... we're not alone anymore. Yeah, Chloe and Sarah are pretty kick ass about a lot of stuff and can carry their weight, but... you should be here for this." He looked down and away, admitting out loud his fears and doubts. He couldn't do it. The burden was too much.
"I wish I could be. I wish this wasn't such a heavy weight to carry. For either of you. But it is what it is, Dean."
"Dad..." The tears slipped down his face as he stared at the ground. "What am I supposed to do? How do I tell Sam about his... role in this war?"
John gazed at him. "Honestly. He'll be okay. He just needs some help figuring it all out. And he's got that."
Dean briefly thought about that sign he'd seen on Sam's door earlier that day and smiled faintly. Yeah, he had Sarah, he and Chloe besides. He snuck a look at the Impala and saw Chloe watching them, a cross of despair and worry written over her face. "Yeah, he's got that," he repeated, watching her.
He followed his son's gaze, a smile gracing his lips once more. "I like her."
"Got you beat, there, Dad, because I love her," he replied with a momentary peaceful smile. "She helps... calm the storm inside."
"I know. She'll make a great mother one day."
Dean turned a suspicious eye on John. "You telling me something I should know?" he asked.
"Not yet. Just saying one day." He nodded, a knowing smile on his face.
Dean smirked and kept his gaze on his dad. "So how in the hell do we bring down the Luthors, and the Demon? Got anything useful to pass along?" He heard the edge in his voice and cringed inwardly. He never really spoke to his father like this before, but really... things were different, weren’t they?
"Help Sammy get his powers under control."
"We're working on that," he replied, wiping the tears from his face. "Chloe's been helping Sam master the art of mind reading, which is more than freaky... speaking of which, can you tell me why Chloe can read Sam's thoughts, too?" The question just popped out of his mouth before he realized what he had asked.
"She's not crazy," John answered, glancing toward her and then back at his son. "But long-term exposure to the meteor rocks in Smallville has been known to have side-effects."
"Damn, the meteor-rocks. I knew it was something," he replied. "At least I can tell her it's the rocks and not anything about her mother..." He sighed and finally looking up at his dad. "I miss you, Dad."
John met Dean's gaze. "I miss you and your brother, too, Dean. Take care of each other. All of you."
Dean chuckled. "Sam's gonna kick my ass when he finds out I talked to you. He'd want you to meet Sarah."
He smiled faintly.
Dean opened his mouth to ask another question, this one about the Luthors, but his father vanished suddenly before his eyes. No fireworks or bright light: he just disappeared into the night. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stood there for a moment, lost in thought. "Good-bye, Dad," he whispered out loud, feeling more at peace with himself for the first time in nearly a year.
Chloe slowly approached him from behind, worry in her green eyes. "Dean?" she whispered.
He turned around and immediately pulled her in his arms, holding her tightly. He couldn't speak: his tongue felt tied up in knots.
She slid her arms around him, holding him tightly and swallowing hard.
He kissed the top of her head several times, smiling. "Dad liked you," he whispered after several moments.
"He did?" There was surprise in her voice.
He pulled back and looked at her. "Yeah, he did. Why sound surprised?" He looked at her, his eyes warm with emotion.
She shrugged a little, gazing up at him. "Are you okay?"
He sighed. "Yeah, I... I think I am." He looked down at her and smiled a little. "More important question is, are you okay, Chloe?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. I was just worried about you." She touched his cheek.
"Maybe that's a good thing," he whispered, closing his eyes and leaning into her touch. "We have a lot of work to do. Got a lot of weight to carry."
Nodding slightly, Chloe studied him. She could already feel the change. Hear it in his voice. There was a newfound determination there and it made her smile faintly. "And we will."
Grasping her hand, he kissed her open palm. "Just so you know, you're not crazy." He opened his eyes and grinned at her.
A flicker of confusion clouded her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Dad said that this freaky mind-reading thing you have with Sam is just the meteor-rocks from your home screwing with you... that you're not crazy." He cocked his head, curious. "What does that mean, exactly?"
Chloe shut her eyes. "The meteor rocks. Of course." She let out a breath, rubbing her face with one hand. "Guess it means I'm one of them now."
"One of... who now?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her back to the Impala.
A wry smile touched her lips. "A Smallville meteor freak."
"But I thought they were... ya know... freaks." He teased her gently with a small loving smile.
She smirked and looked at him. "I seem to recall you mentioning once you liked freaks."
He laughed. "Maybe I do. It just makes me love you more." He smoothed her forehead with his fingertips, the urge to kiss her strong suddenly.
She leaned back against the side of the Impala, gazing up at him. "Good to know," she whispered, tilting her head up and kissing him on the lips.
Dean pushed his body against hers, kissing her deeply and fully. His body leapt awake at her soft moan. "You know," he whispered, breaking the kiss to nip at her ear, "we can always see what happens if we make love on the crossroad. Might be... interesting." There was a hint of teasing amusement in his voice.
She laughed. "Interesting as that sounds, I think we should pass on that opportunity."
Opening the passenger side door for her, Dean said, "Good, because I can think of better places to be with you." He flashed his best smile at her, realizing suddenly how lucky he and Sam had been the day they picked her up on the side of the road. His smile grew wider.
"Do I even wanna know?" she teased.
"Oh hell yes," he replied with another sensual smile. "I say we drop this on Sam and Sarah tomorrow."
"So you've got other plans in mind for the rest of the night." A grin tugged at her lips.
Shutting the passenger side once she got in, he raced around to the driver's side. "Am I that transparent?" he asked, looping another grin at her as he started the car.
"A little bit." Chloe smiled and looked at him sideways.
"How does dining in sound? Followed by a nice relaxing bath?" He thought of her naked in a bubble bath and nearly jumped out of his skin. "Besides, we need to let the lovebirds have their quiet time."
"Now that sounds pretty impossible to turn down." Her voice was low, sensual.
Dean simply grinned in response, hammering down on the gas pedal. They couldn't get to the hotel quickly enough. More importantly, though, he felt like this impending war John had mentioned and Oliver Queen had first told them about seemed more plausible... and with Sam at the head of this operation, he knew they would win.
