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xtremeroswelliaTitle: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Fic 19: Guide You Home
Authors: xtremeroswellia and clarksmuse
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: SO not ours. But we still dream!!
Dean.
Chloe's voice rang like a crystal clear bell in Dean's mind, and he shot upright out of bed, the empty whiskey bottle in his grasp clattering to the floor. He looked around and blinked several times in an attempt to clear his head and remember where he was.
The hotel room on the outskirts of Nowhere, Nebraska, was possibly the worst place he had ever inhabited, and he vaguely recalled getting it. He'd been drunk, with whiskey and despair, to pay much attention to the peeling wallpaper or the puke smell coming from the bathroom.
"Chloe?" he rasped hoarsely, his voice loud to his ears. But she wasn't there. Dean closed his eyes, then, and felt out with mental fingers. She had called him. She needed him. And he needed to hear her voice again, have that connection to her. To find her.
Chloe?
&&&&&
"Are you ready?" Sam gazed intently at his wife as she sat across from him in the circle of salt they'd made in the woods behind Bobby's house.
Sarah swallowed hard and nodded, though the butterflies in her stomach suggested otherwise. But they had to do this for their son. She smoothed her hands over her swelling abdomen. "As we'll ever be," she whispered and smiled at him. I love you, she thought.
Holding the book with the incantation, Bobby looked at Sam and handed it to him. "Take it away," he said and picked up the first ingredient:a charm to ward off evil spirits.
Sam drew in a breath, murmuring a quiet I love you against her mind in return as he opened the book to the proper page and began to read. "Hail ut tutela of Watchtowers of North...."
Closing her eyes, Sarah listened to Sam's soft words as he transitioned between English and Latin, shivering a little as the wind suddenly picked up and began to swirl around her, licking her face and whipping her hair around her.
Sam shifted the book so they could read the spell together. "Vindico nos ex malum."
Sarah picked up where Sam pointed and softly chanted the incantation with him, speaking the English words when he fell into Latin. She placed her hands over her stomach when she felt a warmth, unlike anything she'd ever experienced, come up from the earth. The sensation crept up her lower extremities and threatened to overwhelm her. She felt the baby kick anxiously and sent him soothing words of love, her eyes closing when an intense light engulfed her body.
Sam felt it more than saw it, his heart beating heavily in his chest as lightening zig-zagged across the darkened night sky. He felt the warm heat of the earth's protection circling and guarding Sarah and their son. The spell was in place. Now he just needed to strengthen it. Shutting his eyes as he began to recite the words from memory, he reached out and placed his hands on her stomach.
She felt like she was on fire; her body cried with the flush of warmth that infused her body and the baby's with something more powerful than she had ever known. And Sam's touch only intensified it. She whimpered, her breath hitched in her throat as she mentally begged for him to touch her. She felt the baby calm himself, almost like he understood this was for his own good.
From outside the circle, Bobby watched with awe at the blinding light emanating from them. A slight grin spread across his face: the yellow-eyed demon didn't stand much of a chance against them.
For a moment he felt the heat envelope his entire being as much as it did Sarah's and he sucked in a breath, barely able to resist the urge he had to haul her against him and kiss her right in front of Bobby. And then it was over, the light gone, though he could still feel the sensations making his body tingle and knew she felt the same.
Somehow Sarah found her breath, which came out in short airy pants as she grabbed Sam and touched him everywhere she could. She still felt the heat of the spell throbbing inside her. She looked into his eyes and found the same desire swirling within them.
Bobby coughed loudly and waited for them to stop pawing at each other.
Sam barely took notice of Bobby as he rose to his feet, pulling her along with him gently and crushing his lips to hers.
Molding herself to his body, Sarah grabbed his face and melted into his kiss, the intensity of it making her weak-kneed. She stroked his cheeks as he deepened their kisses and barely heard the loud coughing from outside the circle.
"Hey, I've got a room if you need one," Bobby called loudly and wondered if either heard him.
Distantly it occurred to him that they needed a hotel room, and fast, because otherwise they'd be making love in front of Bobby in the middle of the forest. Still kissing her, his mind brushed against hers. Need to find a room.
Yes, she thought blindly and clung to him. Her body hummed madly when he slipped his hand down to caress her stomach, slightly swollen with their child. She jerked against his touch and moaned in the back of her throat.
He pulled away, sucking air into his lungs and looking at Bobby with slightly wild eyes. "See you later," he said, grateful the other man had come along in his truck while he and Sarah had taken the Impala.
"Yeah," Bobby replied and watched Sam literally pick up Sarah and move quickly for the Impala. There was definitely not enough room in the forest for the tension that swirled between them. Shaking his head, the older man grabbed the books and items left over from the spell and disappeared towards his truck.
"Sam, hurry," Sarah panted and bit his earlobe impatiently. She wound her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, her body crying for his touch.
At this rate they would never make it to a motel in one piece, he thought idly as Bobby's truck drove past them, leaving them alone in the forest. He pressed his lips against hers and yanked open the back door of the Impala, laying her down gently, his eyes hungry as he crawled over her.
Sarah immediately yanked at the buttons on his shirt and nearly sent the buttons flying with her impatience. She groaned at the undershirt she found underneath. "You wear too much," she panted breathlessly and smiled seductively.
"You too," he replied with a faint smirk as he untied the back of cotton sun dress she was wearing, his hands sliding beneath the material to rest against her heated skin.
She moaned, back arched off the seat as his large hands moved to cup her large breasts, grown from the baby's presence. Her hands slid beneath his shirt and stroked his lower abdomen.
Groaning, he lowered his head to kiss her neck as his thumbs brushed lightly over her nipples. Need rushed through him as he moved to unclasp her bra, pulling away to look down at her intently. He tossed the material to the floor of the Impala's backseat before dropping his head once more, licking at her skin.
Sarah shut her eyes and gave herself up to the sensations that flowed through her, moved between her and Sam, incapable of coherent thought as she tugged his pants over his hips, followed by his boxers, to stroke his already hard manhood. She felt the heat between her thighs and writhed beneath his caresses.
He hissed as she slid her hand over him, stroking him. He slid his hand between her thighs, stroking her core and groaning at how ready she was.
"Sam," Sarah moaned and ground against his fingers. "Make love to me. Please." She gently squeezed him to emphasize her need of him.
Lowering his lips to meet hers with an urgent kiss, he slid into her without further hesitation, heat washing over him as their bodies became one.
Hooking one leg around his hips, Sarah rocked against his gentle yet firm thrusts and felt her eyes practically roll into the back of her head. Sam's breath was hot on her face, his kisses intense and toe-curling. She tried her best to push her hips off the seat to take him in fully, but the small backseat prevented her. She bit back a groan of frustration.
Sensing her need, he slid his large hands beneath her body and tilted her hips upwards, groaning as he slid further into her, sweat prickling at his skin as they moved together quickly.
His name on her lips, she felt the wave of climax beat into her suddenly. Her inner walls spasmed against his cock while, with his help, she thrust him completely into her, filling her, completing her. She shook with agony over the warmth that spread throughout her body.
Sam felt her nails rake down his back as she rode out the wave of ecstasy. He groaned as he followed her over the edge, thrusting into her one last time and scraping his teeth lightly over her shoulder, soothing the skin with his tongue.
Fingers dove into his damp locks, soothing the lines from his face as she watched him come back to planet Earth. She smiled shyly and licked the sweat from his neck quickly.
"I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her collarbone.
"I love you, too," she replied and brushed his hair out of his face. She felt her body cool a little, though she made no effort to right herself. "Can we do that again?" she teased.
Sam grinned as he lifted her head to look at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "What do you think?"
Her eyes reflected promise. "I think we won't be getting much sleep tonight, Sam. Though... can we find someplace else? I'll never see the Impala the same way as it is." As she spoke, she traced patterns against his chest underneath his shirt.
He kissed her softly. "Let's find a motel," he agreed, sliding off her and then picking up her clothes, dressing her once more and cupping her cheek in one hand.
"Yeah, I don't want to keep Bobby awake with your screaming," she teased, touched at how tenderly he took care of her and the baby. She slid out of the backseat and rearranged his clothing.
A short chuckle escaped him. "My screaming, huh?" he teased back, gazing down at her intently.
Sarah winked and let her gaze linger on his body before meeting his eyes again. "You're going to scream before this night's over, Sam Winchester." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
"I'll hold you to that," he whispered, kissing her back.
She let him go and slid into the passenger seat, putting on her seat belt while her eyes followed Sam as he rounded the car and got into the driver's seat.
Sam leaned over and kissed her once more before starting the Impala's engine. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but they were going to win this war after all.
&&&&&
They were running out of holy water, and Chloe had yet to really do anything to get the demon thing out of the evil guy. Ava looked over at Chloe and swore she saw panic spread across her face. "Chloe?" she whispered fearfully.
"I'm really bad with Latin," she admitted, her heart thudding heavily against her chest.
CHLOE!
She flinched at the sound of Dean's voice breaking through her mental wall. The breath caught in her throat.
"Don't these things respond to English?" Ava yelled over the creature's continual howling from the holy water. "We don't have much of this stuff left!"
Chloe... please. His voice was filled with the pain of losing her yet again.
She shut her eyes for a moment, her head beginning to ache. "No, it's always better in Latin," she whispered. It occurred to her that if she didn't do the one thing she was terrified of doing, she and Ava might both die. She couldn't have another person's death on her conscious. Swallowing hard, she let the wall drop. Exorcism, she thought, forcing herself to keep her mind calm. I need help with the Latin.
Dean started out of the bed, his feet hitting the floor with a hard thud. She was speaking to him, though he felt a ripple of fear from her end. She was in trouble, and she might be in Timbuktu for all he knew. He thought about all the questions he could ask, but he grabbed his journal from his duffel instead and found the incantation. Repeat after me, he thought and began reading the words off the page.
Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus...
Steeling her nerves, Chloe drew in a breath, her fear replaced by sudden determination. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus," she echoed, gazing hard at the demon that lay at her feet.
Ava watched, a cross between horror and shock, as Chloe suddenly began spitting out Latin like a native ancient Roman. The creature they were holding down began to writhe in agony at her words. She saw intense concentration on the blonde's face and wondered why she had said she couldn't speak Latin.
Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio...
Dean felt her words vibrate through him as he mentally recited the words, his eyes glued to the page even though he knew them by heart. He didn't want to get anything wrong. He fought back the surge of hope that maybe she would remain in his mind long enough afterward so he could at least talk to her.
She repeated the words with careful precision, reaching out and grabbing Ava's arm as she approached the end of the exorcism, pulling the brunette back away from the demon that glared at them hatefully.
"The streets will run with blood," it warned before howling in pain.
Chloe watched, swallowing hard as thick, black smoke rushed from the man's mouth and floated above their heads before disappearing.
Ava shuddered at the thing's words, but her eyes watched the smoke exit the man and take off into the night. "Hey, is smoke supposed to do that?" she asked out loud, stunned.
Chloe? Dean's voice sounded insistent.
"It wasn't smoke," she said quietly. "It was the demon leaving his body." She drew in a breath and shut her eyes. I'm okay.
Ava paled and blinked hard, heard the man on the ground groan and ask where he was. She looked at Chloe with startled eyes and found her to be so weak she nearly fell over. "Whoa there," she cried and put an arm around Chloe's shoulder.
Chloe, Dean's voice begged, quiet and ragged. Please tell me where you are. I'm looking for you.
I know you are, she thought back tiredly, leaning against Ava for support.
"You got a place to stay?" she asked and moved them both away from the still male figure on the ground. "Never mind, you can crash at my place. Got an extra bed that Brady thought he'd leave behind. Bastard." She knew she was babbling, but it was better than trying to process what had just happened.
Dean frowned and put the book away. Turning to look at himself in the dingy mirror, he asked out loud, "Why won't you let me come to you?"
The urge to cry was almost overwhelming. I love you, she thought as she let Ava lead her toward her car.
I love you, too. Please, Chloe, he repeated, blinking back unwanted tears as he waited with baited breath for her response.
None came.
&&&&&
Ava slapped two beers onto her table, one for her and Chloe, and plopped down across from the blonde. Chloe looked pale and tired. "So I was wondering... what the hell *was* all that?" she asked casually.
"I told you. He was possessed by a demon," she said quietly, reaching out and scraping her nail over the label on the bottle.
Ava shook her head and took a swig of her beer. "No, I mean... how come you said you weren't good with the Latin and suddenly whipped it out like a pro? And demons being real? Holy crap!"
"I'm not good at Latin. I had a little help," she admitted, not looking at her.
"Help?" she asked seriously. "From who? I know I sure didn't do anything to help you." She crossed her arms on the table and leaned on them.
"From a friend," she whispered, shutting her eyes.
"Who? Casper the Friendly Ghost?"
"I can read minds." Chloe took a small sip of the beer and made a face.
Ava let out a breath and cocked an eyebrow. "So you know the panic I'm feeling, then?" she whispered.
"No. I'm not reading your mind. I try not to invade people's privacy if I can avoid it."
"Then let me tell you, Chloe." Ava took a long drink before continuing. "I'm freaking out, okay? I saw something I never thought I'd see, and it was more horrible than I thought, and I'm now totally alone to deal with it... and nothing personal but you're not a great replacement for Brady..." She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaking voice. Unshed tears threatened to spill onto her lashes.
She swallowed hard, reaching out and touching the other woman's arm gently as she felt loneliness and loss sweep over her in intense, powerful waves. "What happened with Brady?"
Ava closed her eyes and looked down. "He fell in love with someone else." She stopped and laughed so hard her shoulders quaked with near hysterics. "It was so cliche, too: never coming home, giving me excuses for why he was going to be late. He didn't even have the nerve to take the engagement ring back and made me call everyone to say the wedding was off."
She winced, looking down at the table. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
She nodded. "It's okay," she whispered, her voice devoid of feeling. "He was the love of my life, and I should've known something was wrong."
She wound her arms around her stomach, keeping her eyes shut as she thought of Dean. Of Clark. Of the things she'd done when she was possessed by Meg.
"So when he left, packed up his shit while I was at work one day... I just wonder, what's the point in living anymore?" Ava continued, lost in her own thoughts. "Maybe I should go find this tall, handsome guy named Sam and sign up. Saving the world and maybe dying for it seems better than living alone and never loving again."
Chloe shuddered involuntarily. "Can I use your bathroom?"
Ava looked up, shocked to see Chloe's face white as a sheet. "Sure," she whispered and pointed down the hall. "First door on the right."
She rose to her feet wordlessly, and quickly headed down the hall, shutting and locking the bathroom door behind her. She leaned against it heavily as her tears spilled over in a torrent. Pressing her hands to her face, she slowly slid down to sit on the floor, taking huge, shuddering gasps of air.
Ava quickly followed her, concerned that maybe she had done something wrong. She tapped on the door when she heard weeping on the other side. "Chloe, you okay?" she asked weakly.
Leave me alone, she thought wearily, pulling her knees to her chest. "I'm fine," she responded instead.
"Okay, well, if you need anything..." Ava stopped speaking when her own sense of loss washed over her. She stepped away from the bathroom door and headed for her bedroom, tears streaming down her face.
After several long moments, Chloe forced herself to take a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what she knew she suddenly had to do. She rose to her feet, splashed some cold water on her face and dried it off with the towel on the sink. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked awful: exhausted and drained. But she was alive.
That was a start.
Lifting her chin, she unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway. "Ava?"
Ava peeked out of her bedroom door and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah?" she whispered.
Chloe offered her a small, faint smile. "Have you ever been to South Dakota?"
Fic 19: Guide You Home
Authors: xtremeroswellia and clarksmuse
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: SO not ours. But we still dream!!
Dean.
Chloe's voice rang like a crystal clear bell in Dean's mind, and he shot upright out of bed, the empty whiskey bottle in his grasp clattering to the floor. He looked around and blinked several times in an attempt to clear his head and remember where he was.
The hotel room on the outskirts of Nowhere, Nebraska, was possibly the worst place he had ever inhabited, and he vaguely recalled getting it. He'd been drunk, with whiskey and despair, to pay much attention to the peeling wallpaper or the puke smell coming from the bathroom.
"Chloe?" he rasped hoarsely, his voice loud to his ears. But she wasn't there. Dean closed his eyes, then, and felt out with mental fingers. She had called him. She needed him. And he needed to hear her voice again, have that connection to her. To find her.
Chloe?
&&&&&
"Are you ready?" Sam gazed intently at his wife as she sat across from him in the circle of salt they'd made in the woods behind Bobby's house.
Sarah swallowed hard and nodded, though the butterflies in her stomach suggested otherwise. But they had to do this for their son. She smoothed her hands over her swelling abdomen. "As we'll ever be," she whispered and smiled at him. I love you, she thought.
Holding the book with the incantation, Bobby looked at Sam and handed it to him. "Take it away," he said and picked up the first ingredient:a charm to ward off evil spirits.
Sam drew in a breath, murmuring a quiet I love you against her mind in return as he opened the book to the proper page and began to read. "Hail ut tutela of Watchtowers of North...."
Closing her eyes, Sarah listened to Sam's soft words as he transitioned between English and Latin, shivering a little as the wind suddenly picked up and began to swirl around her, licking her face and whipping her hair around her.
Sam shifted the book so they could read the spell together. "Vindico nos ex malum."
Sarah picked up where Sam pointed and softly chanted the incantation with him, speaking the English words when he fell into Latin. She placed her hands over her stomach when she felt a warmth, unlike anything she'd ever experienced, come up from the earth. The sensation crept up her lower extremities and threatened to overwhelm her. She felt the baby kick anxiously and sent him soothing words of love, her eyes closing when an intense light engulfed her body.
Sam felt it more than saw it, his heart beating heavily in his chest as lightening zig-zagged across the darkened night sky. He felt the warm heat of the earth's protection circling and guarding Sarah and their son. The spell was in place. Now he just needed to strengthen it. Shutting his eyes as he began to recite the words from memory, he reached out and placed his hands on her stomach.
She felt like she was on fire; her body cried with the flush of warmth that infused her body and the baby's with something more powerful than she had ever known. And Sam's touch only intensified it. She whimpered, her breath hitched in her throat as she mentally begged for him to touch her. She felt the baby calm himself, almost like he understood this was for his own good.
From outside the circle, Bobby watched with awe at the blinding light emanating from them. A slight grin spread across his face: the yellow-eyed demon didn't stand much of a chance against them.
For a moment he felt the heat envelope his entire being as much as it did Sarah's and he sucked in a breath, barely able to resist the urge he had to haul her against him and kiss her right in front of Bobby. And then it was over, the light gone, though he could still feel the sensations making his body tingle and knew she felt the same.
Somehow Sarah found her breath, which came out in short airy pants as she grabbed Sam and touched him everywhere she could. She still felt the heat of the spell throbbing inside her. She looked into his eyes and found the same desire swirling within them.
Bobby coughed loudly and waited for them to stop pawing at each other.
Sam barely took notice of Bobby as he rose to his feet, pulling her along with him gently and crushing his lips to hers.
Molding herself to his body, Sarah grabbed his face and melted into his kiss, the intensity of it making her weak-kneed. She stroked his cheeks as he deepened their kisses and barely heard the loud coughing from outside the circle.
"Hey, I've got a room if you need one," Bobby called loudly and wondered if either heard him.
Distantly it occurred to him that they needed a hotel room, and fast, because otherwise they'd be making love in front of Bobby in the middle of the forest. Still kissing her, his mind brushed against hers. Need to find a room.
Yes, she thought blindly and clung to him. Her body hummed madly when he slipped his hand down to caress her stomach, slightly swollen with their child. She jerked against his touch and moaned in the back of her throat.
He pulled away, sucking air into his lungs and looking at Bobby with slightly wild eyes. "See you later," he said, grateful the other man had come along in his truck while he and Sarah had taken the Impala.
"Yeah," Bobby replied and watched Sam literally pick up Sarah and move quickly for the Impala. There was definitely not enough room in the forest for the tension that swirled between them. Shaking his head, the older man grabbed the books and items left over from the spell and disappeared towards his truck.
"Sam, hurry," Sarah panted and bit his earlobe impatiently. She wound her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, her body crying for his touch.
At this rate they would never make it to a motel in one piece, he thought idly as Bobby's truck drove past them, leaving them alone in the forest. He pressed his lips against hers and yanked open the back door of the Impala, laying her down gently, his eyes hungry as he crawled over her.
Sarah immediately yanked at the buttons on his shirt and nearly sent the buttons flying with her impatience. She groaned at the undershirt she found underneath. "You wear too much," she panted breathlessly and smiled seductively.
"You too," he replied with a faint smirk as he untied the back of cotton sun dress she was wearing, his hands sliding beneath the material to rest against her heated skin.
She moaned, back arched off the seat as his large hands moved to cup her large breasts, grown from the baby's presence. Her hands slid beneath his shirt and stroked his lower abdomen.
Groaning, he lowered his head to kiss her neck as his thumbs brushed lightly over her nipples. Need rushed through him as he moved to unclasp her bra, pulling away to look down at her intently. He tossed the material to the floor of the Impala's backseat before dropping his head once more, licking at her skin.
Sarah shut her eyes and gave herself up to the sensations that flowed through her, moved between her and Sam, incapable of coherent thought as she tugged his pants over his hips, followed by his boxers, to stroke his already hard manhood. She felt the heat between her thighs and writhed beneath his caresses.
He hissed as she slid her hand over him, stroking him. He slid his hand between her thighs, stroking her core and groaning at how ready she was.
"Sam," Sarah moaned and ground against his fingers. "Make love to me. Please." She gently squeezed him to emphasize her need of him.
Lowering his lips to meet hers with an urgent kiss, he slid into her without further hesitation, heat washing over him as their bodies became one.
Hooking one leg around his hips, Sarah rocked against his gentle yet firm thrusts and felt her eyes practically roll into the back of her head. Sam's breath was hot on her face, his kisses intense and toe-curling. She tried her best to push her hips off the seat to take him in fully, but the small backseat prevented her. She bit back a groan of frustration.
Sensing her need, he slid his large hands beneath her body and tilted her hips upwards, groaning as he slid further into her, sweat prickling at his skin as they moved together quickly.
His name on her lips, she felt the wave of climax beat into her suddenly. Her inner walls spasmed against his cock while, with his help, she thrust him completely into her, filling her, completing her. She shook with agony over the warmth that spread throughout her body.
Sam felt her nails rake down his back as she rode out the wave of ecstasy. He groaned as he followed her over the edge, thrusting into her one last time and scraping his teeth lightly over her shoulder, soothing the skin with his tongue.
Fingers dove into his damp locks, soothing the lines from his face as she watched him come back to planet Earth. She smiled shyly and licked the sweat from his neck quickly.
"I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her collarbone.
"I love you, too," she replied and brushed his hair out of his face. She felt her body cool a little, though she made no effort to right herself. "Can we do that again?" she teased.
Sam grinned as he lifted her head to look at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "What do you think?"
Her eyes reflected promise. "I think we won't be getting much sleep tonight, Sam. Though... can we find someplace else? I'll never see the Impala the same way as it is." As she spoke, she traced patterns against his chest underneath his shirt.
He kissed her softly. "Let's find a motel," he agreed, sliding off her and then picking up her clothes, dressing her once more and cupping her cheek in one hand.
"Yeah, I don't want to keep Bobby awake with your screaming," she teased, touched at how tenderly he took care of her and the baby. She slid out of the backseat and rearranged his clothing.
A short chuckle escaped him. "My screaming, huh?" he teased back, gazing down at her intently.
Sarah winked and let her gaze linger on his body before meeting his eyes again. "You're going to scream before this night's over, Sam Winchester." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
"I'll hold you to that," he whispered, kissing her back.
She let him go and slid into the passenger seat, putting on her seat belt while her eyes followed Sam as he rounded the car and got into the driver's seat.
Sam leaned over and kissed her once more before starting the Impala's engine. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but they were going to win this war after all.
&&&&&
They were running out of holy water, and Chloe had yet to really do anything to get the demon thing out of the evil guy. Ava looked over at Chloe and swore she saw panic spread across her face. "Chloe?" she whispered fearfully.
"I'm really bad with Latin," she admitted, her heart thudding heavily against her chest.
CHLOE!
She flinched at the sound of Dean's voice breaking through her mental wall. The breath caught in her throat.
"Don't these things respond to English?" Ava yelled over the creature's continual howling from the holy water. "We don't have much of this stuff left!"
Chloe... please. His voice was filled with the pain of losing her yet again.
She shut her eyes for a moment, her head beginning to ache. "No, it's always better in Latin," she whispered. It occurred to her that if she didn't do the one thing she was terrified of doing, she and Ava might both die. She couldn't have another person's death on her conscious. Swallowing hard, she let the wall drop. Exorcism, she thought, forcing herself to keep her mind calm. I need help with the Latin.
Dean started out of the bed, his feet hitting the floor with a hard thud. She was speaking to him, though he felt a ripple of fear from her end. She was in trouble, and she might be in Timbuktu for all he knew. He thought about all the questions he could ask, but he grabbed his journal from his duffel instead and found the incantation. Repeat after me, he thought and began reading the words off the page.
Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus...
Steeling her nerves, Chloe drew in a breath, her fear replaced by sudden determination. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus," she echoed, gazing hard at the demon that lay at her feet.
Ava watched, a cross between horror and shock, as Chloe suddenly began spitting out Latin like a native ancient Roman. The creature they were holding down began to writhe in agony at her words. She saw intense concentration on the blonde's face and wondered why she had said she couldn't speak Latin.
Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio...
Dean felt her words vibrate through him as he mentally recited the words, his eyes glued to the page even though he knew them by heart. He didn't want to get anything wrong. He fought back the surge of hope that maybe she would remain in his mind long enough afterward so he could at least talk to her.
She repeated the words with careful precision, reaching out and grabbing Ava's arm as she approached the end of the exorcism, pulling the brunette back away from the demon that glared at them hatefully.
"The streets will run with blood," it warned before howling in pain.
Chloe watched, swallowing hard as thick, black smoke rushed from the man's mouth and floated above their heads before disappearing.
Ava shuddered at the thing's words, but her eyes watched the smoke exit the man and take off into the night. "Hey, is smoke supposed to do that?" she asked out loud, stunned.
Chloe? Dean's voice sounded insistent.
"It wasn't smoke," she said quietly. "It was the demon leaving his body." She drew in a breath and shut her eyes. I'm okay.
Ava paled and blinked hard, heard the man on the ground groan and ask where he was. She looked at Chloe with startled eyes and found her to be so weak she nearly fell over. "Whoa there," she cried and put an arm around Chloe's shoulder.
Chloe, Dean's voice begged, quiet and ragged. Please tell me where you are. I'm looking for you.
I know you are, she thought back tiredly, leaning against Ava for support.
"You got a place to stay?" she asked and moved them both away from the still male figure on the ground. "Never mind, you can crash at my place. Got an extra bed that Brady thought he'd leave behind. Bastard." She knew she was babbling, but it was better than trying to process what had just happened.
Dean frowned and put the book away. Turning to look at himself in the dingy mirror, he asked out loud, "Why won't you let me come to you?"
The urge to cry was almost overwhelming. I love you, she thought as she let Ava lead her toward her car.
I love you, too. Please, Chloe, he repeated, blinking back unwanted tears as he waited with baited breath for her response.
None came.
&&&&&
Ava slapped two beers onto her table, one for her and Chloe, and plopped down across from the blonde. Chloe looked pale and tired. "So I was wondering... what the hell *was* all that?" she asked casually.
"I told you. He was possessed by a demon," she said quietly, reaching out and scraping her nail over the label on the bottle.
Ava shook her head and took a swig of her beer. "No, I mean... how come you said you weren't good with the Latin and suddenly whipped it out like a pro? And demons being real? Holy crap!"
"I'm not good at Latin. I had a little help," she admitted, not looking at her.
"Help?" she asked seriously. "From who? I know I sure didn't do anything to help you." She crossed her arms on the table and leaned on them.
"From a friend," she whispered, shutting her eyes.
"Who? Casper the Friendly Ghost?"
"I can read minds." Chloe took a small sip of the beer and made a face.
Ava let out a breath and cocked an eyebrow. "So you know the panic I'm feeling, then?" she whispered.
"No. I'm not reading your mind. I try not to invade people's privacy if I can avoid it."
"Then let me tell you, Chloe." Ava took a long drink before continuing. "I'm freaking out, okay? I saw something I never thought I'd see, and it was more horrible than I thought, and I'm now totally alone to deal with it... and nothing personal but you're not a great replacement for Brady..." She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaking voice. Unshed tears threatened to spill onto her lashes.
She swallowed hard, reaching out and touching the other woman's arm gently as she felt loneliness and loss sweep over her in intense, powerful waves. "What happened with Brady?"
Ava closed her eyes and looked down. "He fell in love with someone else." She stopped and laughed so hard her shoulders quaked with near hysterics. "It was so cliche, too: never coming home, giving me excuses for why he was going to be late. He didn't even have the nerve to take the engagement ring back and made me call everyone to say the wedding was off."
She winced, looking down at the table. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
She nodded. "It's okay," she whispered, her voice devoid of feeling. "He was the love of my life, and I should've known something was wrong."
She wound her arms around her stomach, keeping her eyes shut as she thought of Dean. Of Clark. Of the things she'd done when she was possessed by Meg.
"So when he left, packed up his shit while I was at work one day... I just wonder, what's the point in living anymore?" Ava continued, lost in her own thoughts. "Maybe I should go find this tall, handsome guy named Sam and sign up. Saving the world and maybe dying for it seems better than living alone and never loving again."
Chloe shuddered involuntarily. "Can I use your bathroom?"
Ava looked up, shocked to see Chloe's face white as a sheet. "Sure," she whispered and pointed down the hall. "First door on the right."
She rose to her feet wordlessly, and quickly headed down the hall, shutting and locking the bathroom door behind her. She leaned against it heavily as her tears spilled over in a torrent. Pressing her hands to her face, she slowly slid down to sit on the floor, taking huge, shuddering gasps of air.
Ava quickly followed her, concerned that maybe she had done something wrong. She tapped on the door when she heard weeping on the other side. "Chloe, you okay?" she asked weakly.
Leave me alone, she thought wearily, pulling her knees to her chest. "I'm fine," she responded instead.
"Okay, well, if you need anything..." Ava stopped speaking when her own sense of loss washed over her. She stepped away from the bathroom door and headed for her bedroom, tears streaming down her face.
After several long moments, Chloe forced herself to take a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what she knew she suddenly had to do. She rose to her feet, splashed some cold water on her face and dried it off with the towel on the sink. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked awful: exhausted and drained. But she was alive.
That was a start.
Lifting her chin, she unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway. "Ava?"
Ava peeked out of her bedroom door and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah?" she whispered.
Chloe offered her a small, faint smile. "Have you ever been to South Dakota?"
