Daddy's Little Hunter (SPN Season 1)

Faith [6]

Dean placed Natalia to sit on the ground outside the tent "Stay here, okay?"

Natalia held up a thumbs-up sign "Otay,"

Dean ran to Sue Ann and spun her around.

Sue Ann gasped and stopped reciting, reaching down to hold a cross on a chain around her neck.

It was the same as the wooden cross Sam saw earlier.

***

The reaper was holding his hand to Wright's face.

Suddenly the reaper stopped, looking confused, and rose.

***

Sue Ann stared at Dean and tucked the cross inside her blouse "Help! Help me!"

Dean backed away, nodding, and staring at Sue Ann.

Two cops grabbed Dean roughly and pulled him away.

***

The reaper stared at David lying on the ground gasping for breath, then turned away and vanished.

Sam moved to help David up "I got you. I got you,"

"Thank God," David muttered.

***

Two cops manhandled Dean through the entry.

"Unkie Dean!" Natalia cried out as she saw the spectacle.

Dean shook the cops off as soon as they were outside and picked Natalia up.

Natalia hugging close to Dean as Sue Ann followed close behind.

"I just don't understand. After everything, we've done for you. After Roy healed you. I'm just very disappointed Dean,"

Natalia and Dean stared at her, saying nothing.

"You can let him go." Sue Ann told the cops "I'm not gonna press charges. The Lord will deal with him as he sees fit." she looked at Natalia "Would be a shame for Child Services to become involved in such a trivial matter,"

Dean's grasp on Natalia tightened protectively as Natalia could only tilt her head to the side, not fully understanding the threat.

Sue Ann left.

The cops turned to Dean. "We catch you around here again son, we'll put the fear of God in you, understand?"

"Yes sir, fear of God. Got it," Dean said mockingly.

The cops gave him one last push.

Dean turned to find Layla waiting for him. "Layla?"

"Why would you do that Dean? And it could have been my only chance," Layla argued.

"He's not a healer,"

"He healed you,"

"I know it doesn't seem fair, and I wish I could explain. But Roy is not the answer, I'm sorry,"

Layla shook her head sadly "Goodbye Dean," she walked away.

Dean looked over at Natalia, who only tilted her head in sad confusion. He sighed, turning to watch Layla.

Layla turned back "I wish you luck. I really do,"

"Same to you," Dean said as his voice cracked from raw emotion.

Layla turned to walk away again.

"You deserve it a lot more than me," Dean said under his breath. He felt Natalia hug his neck harder and felt her head lay on his shoulder "Let's get you to bed, squirt,"

Layla walked away past where her mother was talking to Roy and Sue Ann.

"Private session tonight, no interruptions." Roy proclaimed "I give you my word, I'll heal your daughter,"

Dean walked past behind them to where Sam was waiting.

They both overheard.

"Thank you reverend." Mrs. Rourke praised "God bless you,"

***

Sam sat on the bed as he rubbed Natalia's back as she slept "So Roy really believes,"

"I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing," Dean said.

"Well, I found this." Sam handed the little book to Dean "Hidden in their library. It's ancient. Written by a priest who went dark side. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper,"

"Must be a hell of a spell,"

"Yeah. You gotta build a black alter with the seriously dark stuff. Bones, human blood. To cross a line like that, a preacher's wife. Black magic. Murder. Evil..."

"Desperate. Her husband was dying, she didn't have anything to save him. She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy,"

"Cheating death, literally,"

"Yeah but Roy's alive, so why is she still using the spell?"

"Right. To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral,"

"May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work,"

"We gotta break that binding spell Dean,"

Dean looked at the picture of the cross in the book "You know Sue Ann had a Coptic cross like this. When she dropped it the reaper backed off,"

"So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the alter?"

"Maybe both. Whatever we do we better do it soon, or he's healing Layla tonight,"

***

The Impala rolled into the park without lights and stopped.

"That's Layla's car." Sam pointed out "She's already here,"

Dean nodded sadly "Yeah,"

"Dean..."

"You know if Roy woulda picked Layla instead of me she'd be here right now. And if she's not healed tonight she's gonna die in a couple of months,"

"What's happening to her is horrible. But what are you gonna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself Dean, you can't play God,"

Dean didn't reply and got out of the car.

Sam followed, putting Natalia in her carrier and they approached the tent and peeked inside.

Roy was speaking to a small group of the faithful, including Layla and her mother. "Gather round, please everyone, gather round. Come in closer, come on up,"

"Where's Sue Ann?" Dean wondered.

"House," Natalia muttered sleepily.

The boys shared a look as they moved to the house.

"Go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up," Dean said as he pushed Sam away, tousling Natalia's hair as they left.

"What are you gonna...?"

Dean spied the two cops from earlier coming down the stairs "Hey!"

The cops looked over.

"You gonna put that fear of God in me?"

The cops dropped their coffee and ran at Dean, who took off.

As soon as they were gone Sam glanced back at Natalia

"You know what to do?" Sam asked.

"Stay close to daddy," Natalia replied.

"That's right," Sam ran up the stairs and checked around the house.

It was in darkness.

Sam turned back, confused, then spotted light emerging from the cracks of the outside basement entrance.

Sam moved toward the basement entrance, opened the doors, and slipped inside.