4. Castle Storage, Buffalo

We all piled out of the Impala. I jumped out before the brothers pulled Bobby out and practically dragged him to the emergency room doors. I ran after them, abandoning my backpack in the car. I ran ahead to shove the doors open and exposed us to the hospital sounds: loud phones ringing, nurses and doctors hustling around.

"Need some help here!" Dean shouted.

"What happened?" asked a nearby nurse. It wasn't hard to miss her with her wild, puffy, dark hair.

"He was stabbed," Sam told them.

"Can we get a gurney?" the nurse called out.

I stepped out of the way as two nurses came charging at the trio with a gurney.

"Hang on, Bobby," Dean told him. "Hang in there. You're gonna be okay."

I put a hand over my mouth as I watched the nurses load Bobby on. I didn't move right away as they rushed him off, but the brothers began to chase after them.

"Just wait here," the nurse said, stopping them in their tracks.

"We can't just leave him," Sam protested.

"Just don't move. I've got questions." The nurse hurried off somewhere.

"Sammy, we got to go," Dean told his younger brother.

"No. No way, Dean."

"The demons heard where the sword is. We got to get it before they do, if we're not too late already. Come on!"

"Wait, what?" I asked as the brothers fled from the emergency room. "What's this about a sword?"

"Geez, I forgot you were still around," Dean muttered.

"Funny. Seriously, what's going on?"

"Dakota, you should stay here," Sam ordered me.

"Um, no, not doing that. You've got my bag in your car."

"We'll toss you it as we're taking off," Dean snapped. We were at the Impala now. Sam maneuvered so that he was working his way towards the passenger's side. Dean went to the trunk and popped it open. I went right for one of the doors, pulling it open.

I screamed as I felt something wet splatter down my front. I looked at Dean, wide-eyed in anger.

"What the hell was that for?" I bellowed.

"Just needed to check," he said before tossing the bottle back in the trunk. I shook my head at him in bewilderment as he shut the trunk. "Don't just stand there and leave the door open. Get in."

My eyes bore into the back of Dean's head as I sulked inside the Impala. The engine came to life, and we took off once again. I kept my eyes on the hospital until it was out of my view. I barely know you, Bobby, but pull through. Don't let yourself be another statistic to their kill tally.

"So is anyone going to tell me what's going on, or am I going to have to find out on my own?" I broke the silence. "Actually, tell me where we're headed first."

"Castle Storage, up in Buffalo."

"What for?"

"Long story."

"A story she shouldn't know about," Dean cut Sam off.

"By the way, what the hell did you throw on me?" I said.

"Holy water."

"You thought I was possessed?"

I got a look from Sam over his shoulder, Dean's reaction I saw through the mirror.

"What?" I asked. "Meg showed me her black eyes and threw me around like a ragdoll. That's not normal by any means."

"Your reaction isn't normal, either."

"You're not the only ones in Maryland who have encountered things like this." I snorted.

"You've encountered demons?" Sam asked me.

I winced at the word. "A few here and there. What you told me didn't sound as crazy when I saw it for myself."

"When did you see them?"

"What did you tell her?" Dean butted in. Sam went silent. "You...you told her about what we do?"

"I've known for years," I snapped. "I only learned it was true a short while ago. So, yes, I know what your 'family business' is. I know you hunt demons and anything else that's far from normal that walk on this earth."

"Who else are you telling, Sammy?"

"I'm the only one!" I groaned, throwing my head back into the seat. "Chill out, will you?"

"Any reason as to why she's still with us?"

"You told me to get in," I reminded him.

"Well, once we get a moment of peace, you'll be able to go on your merry way back to wherever you came from."

I looked up at the car's ceiling. Clearly I wasn't welcome in this hunting party.

* * *

A little over three hours later, we arrived at Castle Storage. Nobody bothered to tell me what the hell we were here for. All I remembered was something about a sword. What would demons want with a sword?

"You better sit this one out, pixie," Dean told me.

"Don't call me that," I barked. "And why should I? I already got into a scrimmage with Meg and her friend at the motel."

"You're already in way more than I wanted you to be," Sam told me. "It's just better if you stay in here in case something goes wrong."

"And then what? What if something happens to you two? You think I'll know if I have to come save your asses? Uh-uh"—I shuffled out of the Impala—"I'm coming with you."

"Look," Dean snarled at me as he and Sam got out of the car, "this isn't a place for someone like you. Now, if we had room in the trunk, we'd tie you up and stick you in there so you don't get into any trouble. Unfortunately, we don't have the space or proper materials."

"So this means I'm coming along," I said persistently.

"No." Dean opened the trunk, and he and Sam began to load weapons. "You're staying out here until we come back. Feel free to run off to wherever you like in the meantime. Just don't go in after us."

"Sam," I pleaded as Dean closed the trunk, weapon at his side. "I could be useful!"

"How?"

"Like I said, I've encountered demons before."

"Have you ever killed any?"

"I've done enough research, but I've had missed opportunities." I hugged myself.

"Exactly. Research isn't the same as the hands-on experience."

"But—look, just give me a gun or something. A knife, even. Just something so I'm not defenseless in there! Please?"

Dean gave Sam a sharp look. "No more hitchhikers. I don't care if you know them or not, understand?"

"If you won't let me in, at least let me get the room open for you," I bargained before yawning.

"What do you know about picking locks?"

"That's none of your business." I pulled out a few gadgets from my pockets. "Allow me."

Dean and Sam looked at each other. Sam just shrugged his shoulders, Dean looked really pissed. Somehow, though, I was allowed to tag behind and get the room open for them both. I gently bit my tongue as I worked. Once I heard the click, I stepped back, feeling rather accomplished.

"You're slow," Dean told me as he nudged the door open. I rolled my eyes. "Stay close and don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, sir," I mocked him under my breath.

The brothers had their guns cocked outwards as we all stepped in the storage room. I wasn't a fan of this place. Who wanted to go to a storage room in the middle of the night anyway?

We made our way past shelves to find an interesting print on the floor. Devil's trap, I realized. I remembered seeing a lot of those when I had done my research. Too bad I never practiced my artistic skills to get the drawing of one down. It could have been so useful a while back.

I frowned as I saw a few still bodies on the ground. Someone beat us here on top of the demons.

"I see you told the demons where the sword is," said a new voice.

I stood between the brothers to get a good look at our confronter. He looked a bit older, with fuzzy gray hair on his head. His face looked soft, but he didn't seem like the teddy bear type. He was dressed in a fancy suit, and he had two men similarly dressed flanking him. My head cocked to the side.

"Oh, thank god," Dean said sarcastically. "The angels are here."

"Angels?" I side-whispered to Sam.

"Later," he told me.

"And to think...they could have grabbed it any time they wanted," said the head angel. It was like I didn't exist, he didn't acknowledge my presence. I spun around at hearing the slamming of a door. Oh shit. "It was right in front of them."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"We may have planted that particular piece of prophecy inside Chuck's skull, but it happened to be true. We did lose the Michael sword. We truly couldn't find it. Until now. You've just hand-delivered it to us."

"We don't have anything," Dean told him.

"It's you, chucklehead," the angel told him. "You're the Michael sword."

My head was spinning. Michael sword? Angels, on top of demons? It shouldn't have surprised me too much, I guess.

I might've picked the worst time possible to reunite with Sam.

"What, you thought you could actually kill Lucifer?" the angel continued. "You simpering wad of insecurity and self-loathing? No. You're just a human, Dean. And not much of one."

"What do you mean, I'm the sword?"

"You're Michael's weapon. Or, rather, his...receptacle."

"I'm a vessel?"

"You're the vessel. Michael's vessel."

"How? Why—why me?"

"Because you're chosen!" the angel exclaimed. "It's a great honor, Dean."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, life as an angel condom. That's real fun. I think I'll pass, thanks."

"Joking. Always joking. Well...no more jokes." The angel raised a hand, made a gun, and looked to be pointing it at Dean. I saw the handgun shift towards Sam. "Bang."

I heard it, we all heard it: the loud crunch. Sam collapsed beside me.

"God!" Sam cursed.

"You son of a bitch!" Dean roared.

"Keep mouthing off, I'll break more than his legs," the angel threatened.

I crouched beside Sam, who was grabbing at his leg.

"You should have listened," he said through gritted teeth.

"Too late," I joked weakly.

"I am completely and utterly through screwing around," the angel said darkly. "The war has begun. We don't have our general. That's bad. Now, Michael is going to take his vessel and lead the final charge against the adversary. You understand me?"

"How many humans die in the crossfire, huh? A million? Five, ten?"

"Probably more." I visibly paled. "If Lucifer goes unchecked, you know how many die? All of them. He'll roast the planet alive."

"You owe me a big explanation, Sam Winchester," I hissed to him.

"There's a reason you're telling me this instead of just nabbing me," Dean concluded. "You need my consent. Michael needs my say-so to ride around in my skin."

I shuddered. That sounded wrong in so many ways.

"Unfortunately, yes," the angel confirmed.

"Well, there's got to be another way."

"There is no other way. There must be a battle. Michael must defeat the serpent. It is written."

"Yeah, maybe. But, on the other hand...Eat me. The answer's no."

"Okay. How about this? Your friend Bobby—we know he's gravely injured. Say yes, and we'll heal him. Say no, he'll never walk again."

Dean looked at Sam and me. I shook my head.

"No," Dean said.

"Then how about we heal you from...stage-four stomach cancer?"

I gasped as Dean doubled over, hacking violently.

"No," he rasped.

"Let's try this. We'll heal your little friend here from her internal bleeding."

"Wh—?"

I was pretty sure the angel was lying about my internal bleeding. Something was shoved into me, burning me from the inside. I screamed, holding my stomach. The pain rushed to my head, and I felt like someone inside my skull was trying to bash it open with a sledgehammer. Tears fell down my face, and I could feel the blood down from my nostrils. I coughed as violently as Dean had, spewing blood onto the floor.

"No" was Dean's answer still.

"Then let's get really creative. Uh, let's see how...Sam does without his lungs."

"Sam!" I croaked. It was like someone had him by the throat, choking the life out of him. I looked to the angel. "Stop it!" I coughed up more blood, some splattered onto my hand.

"Are we having fun yet?" I swore the angel smiled at our suffering. "You're going to say yes, Dean."

"Just kill us," Dean sputtered.

"What?" I squeaked. I didn't follow the leaders to be killed!

"Kill you?" the angel repeated. "Oh, no. I'm just getting started."

Suddenly, a bright light filled the room, capturing all of our attention. I jumped as one of the angels collapsed with a hole in his throat. Where did this guy come from? The other angel who flanked our head angel took on the man in the trench coat, all while the rest of us stared.

I threw my head back, feeling fluids fill my lungs. The man in the trench coat won against the other angel by stabbing him in the back. A bright light flashed. I looked to Sam, who wasn't moving.

"N-no," I coughed. I crawled to him, shaking him. "No, Sam. W-wake up." I coughed up more blood. I collapsed on my side, barely picking my head up to see the man in the trench coat confront the one angel.

I didn't know what happened afterwards; the blackness took me too soon.

**So...well, she's meeting new people. Who knew life could go from what she had to what she's going through now?

Believe me, there is still PLENTY story left. We've barely scratched the surface! And, I don't know about you all, but I'm excited to get into some later chapters :)**