Chapter 3

“The best things said come last. People will talk for hours saying nothing much and then linger at the door with words that come with a rush from the heart.”

-Alan Alda

Ruby appeared out of nowhere on the Ponderosa Pine-lined dirt road to the Wilmington ranch, placing herself in the oncoming path of the Impala. Dean braked, headlights reflecting off shiny black leather and long blond hair. He stopped the fishtailing Chevy at the last second with the grill barely brushing Ruby’s jean-clad legs. The demon leaned over with her hands on the hood of the idling Impala and grinned. “I thought you boys were going to stand me up.”

“I hate it when she does that,” Caleb said.

“Like a bad penny,” Joshua said from the backseat. “I believe I’ll remain inside during your meeting of the minds.”

“Suit yourself.” Dean opened his door and exited the vehicle as Ruby circled his way. “What have you got for us?”

“A ‘thank you for coming’ would be nice.”

Dean opened his mouth to tell her exactly what she could do with that bit of wishful thinking when his vision swam out of focus. Ruby’s body-snatched victim’s face fading away to reveal a gruesome visage of decayed flesh and gore. “God…” He stumbled back, bumping into Caleb.

“Deuce?” Caleb gripped his shoulder, keeping him in place.

Sam came around his other side. “You all right?”

“Her face — it’s fucking hideous.” Fear bubbled from dark recesses Dean thought long incapable of harboring shock, let alone fear. It was like being all of eight again, facing the boogie man for the first time.

Ruby frowned. “Excuse me?”

Dean looked from Caleb to his brother, glancing over his shoulder to where Joshua had opened the passenger door to step out. “Don’t you see it? Her?” When he was met with only looks of concern, he shook his head to try to be free of the image. Ruby’s true form still showed through the beauty of her host. “She…she’s one ugly bitch.”

The demon took a step forward, but Sam raised his hand. “Ruby,” he warned.

“I didn’t come here to be insulted.”

“Then get on with what you did come here for.” Caleb removed The Dragon’s Talon from the sheath at his side.

“Fine.” Ruby jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “The old homestead is still about a mile on up the road.” She looked at Dean. “Quite a spread you have here, Ben Cartwright. This place goes on forever, rambling hills, creeks...”

“We didn’t jerk your leash for the realty spill,” Dean said. He took a deep breath, locking the fear away once more. Bobby had warned him about what might happen as his time drew closer to an end. As the veil between this world and Hell thinned, he'd be able to see the real faces of evil. It was distracting, reminding him how close he was to the end, but Riley didn’t have time for distractions. “I’m more interested about the house and where Rose is than I am the picturesque beauty of the property.”

“The house could use some work,” Ruby said. “Definitely needs a woman’s touch.”

“Stop fucking with us!” Caleb started forward again, but Dean cut him off.

“Where is Rose, and how many demons are with her?”

Ruby crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing she’s in the cabin. There are several of her followers posted in stealth near it, so I couldn’t get an up close and personal look without stirring the pot.”

“Can you handle them?”

Ruby grinned. “Are you asking me to, Dean?”

Sam sighed. “We’re telling you, Ruby.”

“Now I’m your toy soldier with breasts?”

“You keep saying how you want to help us, how you’re on our side,” Sam said. “Here’s the chance to prove it.”

“Give me a break.” Ruby rolled her eyes. “I could wipe out a whole demon army, but your buddies Larry, Curly, and Moe wouldn’t trust me.”

“Ruby…”

Dean stepped in front of his brother, his hand going to Ruby’s throat. It felt good to exert some control over his situation, if only temporarily. He squeezed, shoving the demon against the Impala before placing the tip of the Dragon’s Talon he’d taken from Caleb to her throat. “If you’re not going to be a part of the plan, then you’re a loose end. Dad taught us what to do with loose ends.”

Ruby struggled as Dean pushed The Knight’s blade into tender flesh. “Killing me won’t help anyone, least of all poor little Riley,” she hissed.

“Standing around flapping your gums sure as hell hasn’t gotten us anywhere.”

“Fine,” Ruby relented. “Get off me.”

Dean removed the blade and let her go with another shove. “If you don’t follow through, I’ll make it my last act to end you.”

Ruby rubbed her throat. “I’d be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. A couple of notches on a gun you no longer have aren’t exactly bragging rights when it comes to killing our kind.”

Dean handed the blade back to Caleb. “Take your own advice, because leading a bunch of little kids to their deaths is a whole lot different than taking The Brotherhood to slaughter.”

Ruby snorted. “Sheep are sheep.”

“It will be daylight soon,” Sam grabbed his brother’s jacket sleeve. “We need to go.”

Dean backed away. The sky had gone from midnight blue to slate; the tall shaggy trees looked like black hairy giants against its pre-dawn backdrop. He glanced at his brother. “Wind up G.I. Barbie and send her on her way.”

It didn’t take them long to reach the ranch. As they left the relative safety of the Impala and approached the dilapidated house, Dean realized their plan wasn’t ideal. In fact, it was shitty. Ruby was to take out whatever demons Rose was sure to have lurking about, coming in as backup. They hoped Rose wouldn’t expect the team-up, despite the fact most in her circle seemed to be aware of Sam’s connection to Ruby.

What concerned Dean the most now was their vulnerability. The cabin and surrounding buildings were out in the open like crumbling tombstones in a long forgotten family graveyard. The surrounding field had grown wild, overtaking the splintered skeleton fence. Mother Nature was slowly reclaiming what was hers.

An iron ‘W’ suspended from an overhang on the barn creaked in the wind as it banged back and forth against the wood. Dean had the sudden feeling he was desecrating a tomb. The encroaching forest offered a shadowy cloak which he couldn’t keep his eyes from as the hairs on the back of his neck reacted to the threat of danger by standing on end.

“Nice place you got here, Dean.”

He turned to Caleb, who had moved slightly ahead of him to take the lead. Dean quickened his pace, coming shoulder to shoulder with his best friend. “You’re just jealous that my latest acquisition is nudging me into the place of Most Eligible Bachelor. I’m still better looking and more charming than you, and now I’m rich.”

“I’d hazard a guess that if you could sell, the value of this property is somewhere in the millions,” Joshua said, impressed.

Dean glanced over his shoulder. “You placing a bid? This would be a great place to raise a couple of kids. You and Carolyn could be very happy.”

“It gives me the creeps,” Sam said. “It feels haunted.”

Caleb stopped several feet short of the cabin, tilting his head. “It does, and that doesn’t make sense.” He pointed to an embossed marking on the peeling posts of the house’s porch. “Same as Jim’s.”

“Protection symbols,” Dean said. “Damn. If a Guardian lived here, other measures should be in place. This should be consecrated ground — unbreachable.”

“It has something to do with what Malachi Harris did,” Joshua said. “Did I not mention Carolyn’s theory?”

Dean turned to frown at the other hunter. “What theory is that exactly?”

“If you recall, Harris was Advisor to Daniel Wilmington’s Triad.”

“I remember he was the number one suspect in Daniel and Cole’s murders and leader of the lynch mob,” Dean said.

“He betrayed them.” Joshua nodded. “He wasn’t satisfied with spilling their blood, but took it one step further by cursing this property, allowing no other Guardian to live here. At least not safely.”

“A Triad badlands,” Caleb muttered. “Dude, you inherited the equivalent of a karmic landfill.”

“That takes some pretty powerful magic,” Sam said.

“He was extremely knowledgeable in the Craft.”

Dean was certain that played more of a part in Joshua keeping Carolyn’s revelation to himself than the fact Malachi had been Advisor. Dean had never been one to keep his feelings about witches to himself. Their relationship was still littered with landmines. “That explains the demonic house squatting.”

“Perhaps I should have mentioned it earlier.”

Dean ran a hand over his face. “Let’s just focus on the here and now.”

“It’s your house, man.” Caleb raised a brow, nodding to the door. “You knocking or just kicking the bitch down?”

“As king of the castle …” Dean pulled out his gun. “I prefer the direct approach.” It wasn’t like Rose didn’t know they were there. He aimed and pulled the trigger, blowing away what was left of the door handle. “Honey, we’re home.”

It was dark inside, the morning too new to offer much luminescence. Even with the poor lighting, Dean could see the inside of the cabin hadn’t been spared the erosion of time either. It was more mausoleum than house. Original furnishings were strewn about like shriveled corpses covered in soiled shrouds, spider webs swayed with their entrance, and the smell of mildew and decay rushed to greet them.

Riley was tied to a wooden chair in front of the stone fireplace.

“Very unoriginal.” Dean looked at Caleb. “Piece of cheese on a mouse trap.”

“I’m not looking to get my neck snapped.”

The fact the kid’s arms and legs were bound and he was gagged didn’t stop him from trying to communicate. He struggled against his restraints, rocking the heavy chair side to side, its legs scraping against the floor.

“He doesn’t look too happy to see us,” Sam said.

Dean tilted his head, studying the teen mumbling furiously in front of them, shaking his head. “You two getting any kind of reading from him?”

Sam stepped to his brother’s other side. “I’m getting nothing, but that’s not unusual.”

Dean turned to Caleb. “What about you?”

Caleb sighed and pointed to Riley’s chest. “The kid’s wearing Obsidian around his neck and his wrists — it’s like fucking psychic Kevlar. I could get past it, but it would take some effort and maybe some of Riley’s brain cells.”

Joshua remained by the door, his gun drawn. “Rose didn’t want him to give away her plan.”

“Can you tell if anyone else is in the house?”

Caleb closed his eyes, grimacing. “It’s weird.” He shook his head, frowning at Dean. “It’s like we’re in a dead zone, some kind of black hole. Whatever Malachi did to this place, I can’t pick up a damn thing. What about you, Runt?”

“Nothing.”

Riley’s struggles became more animated, his grunts louder. “You and Sam do a sweep of the other rooms, I’ll get Riley.” Dean glanced at Joshua. “Cover my six.”

Dean started forward only to find it impossible to move, his body colliding with an invisible wall. “What the fuck?”

“It’s like we’re surrounded by some kind of force field,” Sam said, also attempting to move away from his brother but unable to manage more than a one foot diameter. “I don’t understand.”

Caleb growled in frustration after trying to escape the cloaked cage. “Josh?”

Dean turned just as Joshua moved their way unimpeded. “Don’t come too close.”

“It won’t matter if he sits on your lap, Dean.” A tall brunette entered from an adjacent hallway. “He’s not the prey I was after.”

Joshua swung his gun to cover the woman. “What have you done?”

With a flick of her wrist, the other hunter was flung into the wall, falling to the floor in an unconscious heap. “Nothing they haven’t done to me.”

“Rose.” Dean gripped his own weapon, the demon beneath the human mask more hideous than Ruby. “What is this?”

“Something that makes that gun more useless than ever, as is the knife Caleb’s holding behind his back.” She glanced down to their feet, before lifting her gaze to meet Dean’s once more. She grinned. “Gotcha.”

Dean scanned the floor, squinting to see the black paint nearly invisible against the stained boards. It was a circle, with unfamiliar glyphs and symbols, but one thing was easy to recognize: three interlocking rings reflected deep red in the direct center. “A Devil’s Trap? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

The woman strolled into the room, walking the outline just out of their reach to stand beside Riley. “A Triad Trap, actually. Same premise, different beast.” She slid an arm around her captive, leaning close to the teen’s ear. “We told you it would work.”

Dean looked to Caleb, who shook his head. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s not in any of the research,” Sam said.

“Silly boys.” Rose clucked her tongue. “Demons have secret books, too. Triads are very powerful but also vulnerable when they’re together. A double-edged sword so to speak.” She ran her fingers through Riley’s hair. “A little bit of black magic, some spilled blood of an innocent, and there you go.”

Dean slid his gun into the holster at his side, meeting Riley’s panicked gaze. “We’ve got to get you a ticket to The Red Caboose, kid.”

Rose gestured to her new host’s body. “It was Sarah who made the noble sacrifice.” She pinched Riley’s cheek. “This one’s not the Golden Boy Mommy thinks he is.”

Dean narrowed his gaze, blocking out Rose’s true form to see her latest victim. The girl was fresh-faced and wide-eyed, no older than Riley, dressed in typical teenage trend right down to the tiny diamond stud on the side of her nose. Dean wondered if Rose had plucked her from a college campus or right off a street in some suburban neighborhood like Boone’s. “You’ve caught us. Let Riley and Joshua go.”

“Catching you is only the beginning.”

Caleb edged in front of Dean and Sam. “I’m the one who destroyed the amulet.”

“I know exactly what you three have destroyed.” She moved around Riley to stand in front of Caleb. “I searched for months for that necklace, enduring that fool Ian’s company, only to have you three ruin my plans for it twice. You boys know what that’s like, right? To scour the ends of the earth to save the person who means the most to you, only to fall short at the last minute — to fail them? It’s been fun hearing about your misadventures through the grapevine.”

“Daddy wasn’t ever coming back, Princess,” Dean said. “Amulet or not.”

Rose turned her stolen innocent blue gaze to Dean. “And you’re not scoring a reprieve from Hell. You’ll be burning soon enough.”

“Then why not just get it over with? Give me your best shot.”

“Not until you’ve done something for me.”

Dean shook his head, sending a sly look Caleb’s way. “My animal mojo knows no bounds. One taste of me and she can’t let it go.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Sweetheart,” Rose scoffed. “I prefer my own kind.”

“That’s good, because I sure the hell won’t be doing you any favors.”

Rose moved behind Riley once more, letting her hands rest on his shoulders, her fingers strumming lightly against his pale throat. “Then you’ll watch while I snap his neck.”

Riley looked at Dean, shaking his head with a mumbled ‘don’t do it’. Dean needed to buy them some time until Ruby could finish her business and lend them a hand. “What the hell do you want?”

“I want The Brotherhood dissolved.”

“I thought your daddy was aiming more for an overthrow, his own piece of the pie and a chance at CEO?”

“As you pointed out, Daddy’s dead and gone,” Rose said. She looked from Sam to Caleb. “And key investments haven’t paid off.”

“So you’ve got a new vision? A new boss maybe?”

Rose laughed. “If you’re speaking about Lilith, I wouldn’t follow that witless bitch out of a cardboard box. I have my own agenda.”

“Is that the one where you want something from us, so you take someone to trade?” Caleb asked. “You know, the plan that’s failed miserably for you each time you’ve tried it?”

Dean shook his head. “Lilith is looking like a Mensa candidate compared to you.”

“Yet I’m not the one caught like a bug under glass.” Rose put a dark painted finger against her lips. “Ian was a fool, but Merlin’s infamous blood elixir wasn’t a figment of his imagination. Daniel Wilmington’s Triad knew of it, wrote about it in those journals Ian copied from Griffin. I didn’t really believe it to be the weapon of catastrophe he hoped, but I played along to get my hands on the amulet. However, I began to question my quickness to dismiss the idea after you and your band of merry men came running rather quickly to that cave in Wyoming all those months ago.”

“We wanted the necklace,” Caleb said.

“Try again.” Rose stroked her fingers through Riley’s hair. “I think after your chat with Riley, you and your gang were frightened of what Ian might find in that stockpile of weapons — and just what he might do with it. The necklace that bound our families together forever was a bit more personal and wouldn’t have garnered such a reaction from all factions involved.”

“Ian Hastings, along with his delusions of grandeur, is currently buried under tons of limestone,” Sam said.

“Sammy’s right. If there was a magical elixir, it’s long gone.”

“Maybe not,” Rose said. “Although Merlin was a brilliant wizard from a rich demonic line, he was also half human.” She flicked her gaze to Caleb. “Obviously that doesn’t always work out well. Merlin might have been foolish enough to leave a loophole. I believe that loophole is right here.”

“You think Merlin’s Blood is hidden at this ranch?” Sam said.

Dean looked from his brother to Rose. It was what they were expecting, but he couldn’t help feeling as if they had overlooked something important.

“I did until Riley showed up and showed me the error of my ways.” She wrapped a long arm around the teen’s shoulders and squeezed him to her side. “He is a wealth of information — a walking, talking encyclopedia of Brotherhood history. His mind beats any search engine I’ve tried.”

Dean glanced to Caleb. They had assumed Riley was just another pawn, overlooking the very thing that made Riley unusual. He was The Brotherhood’s biggest fan, having studied everything he could get his hands on and being privy to countless hunters’ conversations at The Boonedocks.

Riley struggled to move away from the demon’s touch, his mumbling more frantic now. “Now, now,” Rose patted his shoulder. “Don’t be modest. I don’t mind giving credit where credit is due. I would have never put it all together without your help. I’d never have known that Merlin’s Blood is no elixir at all, but rather a person instead.” Rose released Riley, moving to stand in front of the older Winchester. “Right, Dean?”

Dean blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rose glanced over her shoulder to the teen shaking his head. “Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but Merlin honored the first Triad in a grand ceremony with gifts representing the abilities they would pass onto their successors. To The Scholar he gave Merlin’s Eye, a crystal ball capable of foretelling the future and seeing into other realms. The Knight received the Dragon’s Talon, a blade proficient at killing anything, including demons. And to The Guardian, he bestowed a magical ring.”

Dean didn’t like where Rose’s rhetoric was leading. He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar tingling of energy from the silver band. Dean shook his head, his heart pounding harder in his chest. “I personally think The Guardian got shafted.”

“On the surface it might appear so.” Rose pointed to the band on Dean’s hand. “But Riley’s been working on a theory. He believes that Merlin, being the groundbreaking alchemist that he was, used his own blood to mix it with waters from Avalon to create an ore from which he made that original silver ring. He gave a piece of himself to The Guardian, and each Guardian would continue the tradition, bestowing to his generation of hunters a piece of Merlin’s magic and protection through your precious bands.”

Sam stepped closer to Dean. “That offering made Merlin the first Guardian.”

“Exactly.” Rose smiled smugly. "Each Guardian is Merlin.” She moved closer to the trap. “Merlin’s Blood isn’t some magical elixir, but merely another name for his kinsmen. The key to destroying The Brotherhood lies within The Guardian because if he is taken out, so is the magic that binds his men.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Sam said. “If that were true, any time a Guardian dies The Brotherhood would be reset.”

Rose circled to Riley once more, roughly pinching his cheeks. “But that’s where little Riley believes the legend of Merlin’s elixir holding the key to immortality came from. Think figuratively, not literally. That’s the key. Correct, Riley?” Rose undid the gag. “Tell them how that silly old myth got started.”

Dean met the kid’s gaze, attempting a reassuring smile. “You’ve got to get you a new hobby, Indy.”

“I’m sorry.” Riley’s voice was husky and hoarse. “I couldn’t stop thinking about Dad…and I walked right into their trap.”

Rose shoved the teen’s shoulder. “Enough with the whining. Give them the punch line.”

Riley looked up at her. “Could I at least get some water first?”

“I offered you breakfast earlier.” Rose gestured to an untouched tray.

“Please.” Riley coughed. “I’ve been sucking on that dust rag for hours.”

Rose rolled her eyes with a muttered curse. “Daddy should have toughened you up.” She grabbed the cup from the tray and held it for Riley, who took several greedy gulps before choking and spilling the water to the floor. It made a pattern in the floorboards, winding its way in the cracks. “Enough.” Rose pulled the glass away, returning it to the stand. “Now tell him!”

Riley licked his lips, water dripping from his chin. “All the legends about Merlin have a common theme: that whether he’s held captive in a stone, trapped in some other realm, or countless other scenarios, he lives on.”

“Like Elvis,” Dean said.

Riley gave a small chuckle. “Sort of. He is immortal because no one could surpass his skill. No one had his magic.”

“Except for The Guardian, who he willingly gave it to,” Sam said.

“That was that pesky human foolishness of faith rearing its ugly head.” Rose clucked disapprovingly. “Number one rule, Sammy: Trust no one.”

Riley continued on. “It’s why The Guardians are chosen differently, judged by some ethereal source. They are, in theory, being entrusted with Merlin’s life — the magic that sustains The Brotherhood.”

“And by taking that life, they could end Merlin,” Sam said. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“Give that Boy King a prize.” Rose clapped. “Father liked that you were the smartest of his children.”

“Suicide?” Caleb looked from Dean to Riley. “That was Merlin’s big fail safe?”

The implications were slowly sinking in. Dean frowned as a few lingering pieces refused to click into place. Merlin was into symbolism. "It isn't suicide." He looked at his ring, remembered what was written inside. "She wants me to destroy my ring, destroying everyone's rings in the process."

“No way!” Caleb shook his head.

Dean felt his brother inch closer, their arms brushing. “He won’t,” Sam said.

Rose continued to stare at Dean. “I’ll start a bloodbath — first Riley, then Joshua.” She glanced to Caleb. “Then I’ll start breaking bones.” She looked at Sam. “Just because I can’t kill you and my darling nephew doesn’t mean I can’t fuck you up.”

“Don’t do it!” Riley shouted. His pleading gaze locked on Dean. “It doesn’t matter about me. The Brotherhood is bigger than any of us.” He dropped his gaze to the floor then met Dean’s eyes again. “You’re a Guardian. You know what you have to do!”

“You, shut up!” Rose turned, re-tying the teen’s gag to silence his protests. “There’re other ways I can silence him. It’s hard to talk when your tongue’s been cut out.”

Dean looked at the floor, running his thumb over the band on his right hand. Riley was right. He knew what he had to do. He kneeled on the floor.

“No.” Caleb dropped beside him. “You can't do this."

“He’s right, Dean,” Sam said. “You can't end The Brotherhood. We're not worth it—there are too many who are involved."

“No one else is going to get hurt.” Dean wrapped his fingers around Caleb’s wrist, holding his gaze, hoping their connection wasn’t so completely blocked within the confines of the Triad Trap that his best friend wouldn’t still be able to read his thoughts. Dean looked at Sam, offering a small smile. “I promise.”

Sam’s head tilted, his brow wrinkling in momentary confusion. “Okay.” He took a step back, moving as far as the circle would allow. He breathed easier when Caleb stood, moving beside Sam and glaring at Rose, who was already relishing in her victory.

Dean hoped that the fact they were still on Brotherhood land would help despite the mark Malachi had left. He glanced up at Rose as he slid his right fingers towards the trail of glistening water from Riley’s drinking episode. Most of it had soaked into the wood but several tiny puddles dotted the black paint of the trap, one droplet resting just beside Dean’s knee. He let his hand come to rest. “I hope you enjoy this, Bitch.”

Dean bowed his head, closing his eyes and placing his ringed hand on the water. The water was cool against his skin but warmed instantly, expanding to search out and meet up with the other drops before joining with the moisture in the rotting planks. Wood splintered and popped as water solidified into a rope of silver that snaked through the floor like a winding stream snapping everything in its wake. Dean felt the moment the trap was broken, releasing him from its hold. Rose didn’t have time to react as Caleb threw the Dragon's Talon in her chest. Dean rushed forward to grip the blade, thrusting The Dragon’s Talon further to make sure it was fully embedded. His momentum carried them to the wall.

“NO!” Rose screamed. Her body bucked beneath Dean’s grasp. There would be no last minute escape for the demon this time. Rose’s black eyes met his, her gruesome face twisted in shock and denial. Then she was gone, along with her host, crumbling in Dean’s hands like sand. Unlike the Colt and Ruby’s knife, there was no electrical charge; both demon and victim simply disintegrated, a pile of black ash left in their wake.

“Holy shit.”

Dean blinked; his gaze went from the shiny blade in his hand to Caleb, who was now by his side toeing the remains with a look of awe.

“That’s new,” Sam said. He kneeled next to Riley, attempting to undo the kid’s gag.

“What the hell is going on?” Joshua was just pushing himself up off the floor.

Dean started to smile. His planned off-color answer was interrupted by Ruby, who chose now to burst in the door, blade in hand with their extremely late rescue. It did nothing for her cause in Dean’s book. He dropped his grin. “Fine time to show up.”

“Where is she?” Ruby demanded. “Where’s Rose?”

Dean pointed the Talon to the residue on the floor. “Ashes to ashes.”

“You killed her?” Ruby took another step forward, stopping behind Joshua, who had just made it to his feet. “But the trap…”

Joshua rubbed his head, frowning. “Trap?”

“They’re together!”

Dean turned at Riley’s voice, the kid once again struggling against his restraints. "What?" Dean didn’t understand. The threat was over.

"Her and her — they did this." Riley nodded to Ruby. “She drew the trap!”

Dean swept his gaze to Ruby. "Sam, is he saying what I think he is saying? Ruby and Rose?"

He turned to Joshua, putting it all together a moment too late. Ruby stepped in behind the blond hunter, who drew a startled breath before a rough shove from Ruby sent him to his knees, revealing her bloodied knife. “Sorry about that.” She shrugged. “It slipped."

Caleb ran towards them but halted when Ruby pulled Joshua's hair. Joshua hissed, and a trickle of red dripped down his neck as the demon placed the knife against his throat. "Do you really think that is a good idea?"

Dean continued his purposeful stride, raising his voice as he recited the memorized exorcism, doing what he should have done months before. "SACERDOS ab Ordinario delegatus, rite confessus, aut saltem corde peccata sua detestans, peracto, si commode fieri possit, Sanctissimo Missæ sacrificio, divinoque auxilio piis precibus implorato, superpelliceo et stola violacea indutus, et coram se habens obsessum ligatum, si sit periculum, eum, se et astantes communiat signo crucis, et aspergat aqua benedicta, et genibus flexis, aliis respondentibus, dicat Litanias ordinarias usque ad Preces exclusive. Postem dicat: Ant. Ne reminiscáris . . . "

Ruby's visage became distorted, an overlapping of human and demon. She shouted at Sam over Dean’s Latinating, "She's dead. They killed someone important to me, and now I’ll do the same.”

Sam moved closer. “Ruby, don’t!”

"Dómini, delicta nostra, vel paréntum nostrórum: neque vindíctam sumas de peccátis nostris. Pater noster secreto usque ad," Dean concluded, then added, "See you in Hell, Bitch."

The black soot erupted from Ruby's mouth, the knife fell with a clatter. Ruby’s host crumpled to the ground, tumbling off Joshua and landing in a heap as the demon made her escape.

Caleb slid next to Joshua, easing him back so the blond head rested in his lap. His hand came away bloodied. Joshua had been stabbed in the back.

Dean shoved the decomposing body Ruby had stolen aside. The gunshot Bobby had inflicted was blackened, and every wound the demon had garnered during the possession was fully exposed. The girl was long gone, and they had to keep Josh alive. He crouched down by the fallen hunter.

Joshua was already pale, sweat broken out on his forehead. Sam, with Riley on his heels, opened Joshua's satchel and began digging through it.

"He said the blade was poisoned," Caleb stated, gesturing to the blade that lay on the ground coated pink.

"You have to have something in your bag of tricks," Dean said, cupping Joshua's chin to get his attention while his brother passed a pressure bandage to Caleb to apply to the messy wound. Joshua always talked about herbs, and there had to be something that would help, although he remembered the hunter telling him that poisons needed to be broken down to find the antidotes.

Dean hated witches.

"Tell my mother. . ." Joshua started, licking his lips.

"Maybe ‘Mama's Boy’ really is a good nickname for you." Caleb placed a hand on Joshua's chest to keep him from moving too much.

Joshua exhaled forcefully before answering, "Her coven taints the blade for a painful death . . . It's their custom."

Caleb looked down at his hand. Dean could see the bleeding hadn't slowed. Sam passed more bandages. "Anything, Joshua, do you have anything that will help to slow it down?"

"No…I don't. . ." Joshua shook his head. "Firecap mushrooms. . .the oil." The injured hunter began taking short breaths, and Dean could hear a wheezing noise.

"Keep breathing, Josh." Caleb rubbed his clavicle with a fist. "You're always the one about the drama. It's just a knick."

"Don't you guys read the Worst Case Scenario books? He probably needs a tracheotomy." Riley was bent over and pointing to Joshua's neck.

"Keep him away from me," Joshua growled and then weakly banged his hand against the floor boards.

Dean stood up and pulled Riley away, handing him his cell phone. "Riley, see if you can get a signal and call 911."

When Dean walked back he overheard Caleb's one-sided conversation. "A couple of butterfly bandages and you'll be good as new."

"Chicks dig scars, even small, wimpy ones," Dean added, crouching next to Joshua. "It'll drive Carolyn crazy."

Dean saw that his brother had pulled out everything from Joshua's bag untidily. It was unlike Sam, who could border on meticulous. Sam was going through the bottles, reading the labels as Joshua began to shiver violently.

"Eli's totally crushing on her. So you need the help," Sam said as he passed his brother the thermal blanket.

"Did you find what he's talking about?" Dean asked.

His brother held up the small amber bottle. "Yeah, yeah, how much?" Sam held the bottle in front of Joshua's eyes.

It took a while for the injured hunter to focus. They waited patiently, and Dean grabbed Joshua's arm to subdue him as much as possible.

"Two drops, no, yes, two. . .sublingual," Joshua stuttered when he regained some awareness.

Sam nodded and counted the drops out loud as they fell into Joshua's mouth. Joshua closed his mouth, then began a hacking cough which was not allowing him to take in a breath. He arched , taking in one deep breath before settling again.

Caleb had removed his hands during the attack, and now returned them to the side of the injured hunter’s head. "Josh, man, you stay with us," Caleb stated, then looked at Dean with determination. If it was up to The Knight, no one would die under his watch.

"My mother. . ." Joshua's eyes wandered from side to side. He seemed to be searching for them even though they were there with him.

“Your mom…” Dean swallowed hard, resting his hand on Joshua’s shoulder. "Is really proud of you."

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