36. The Title Fight

This can't be happening. Not now. Not when we're so close.

I can't look away even though I really should. Sam and I are strung up high like cattle about to be slaughtered. Where's Dean, you ask? Amara has him free, working her seductive charm on him. Chuck is nowhere to be found, and Lucifer's—or Cas's body, whoever's it is—is slain and matted with blood, still. It lays on the floor. She had killed him like he was nothing. A bug zapper frying its prey.

The worst part is that I swear I saw Cas in pain, too, along with Lucifer.

The setting is perfect for a murder: a dark building, a storm overhead. There's no rain, only the occasional lightning strike and the deep familiar rumble of thunder. The storm isn't the thing that's bothering me right now.

I hate watching the corruption of my older brother, as Amara whispers things to him, things that Sam and I can only imagine. I struggle fruitlessly against the chains. This can't happen. He's fought it for so long. He can fight just a little more. It's something we were bred to do: endure.

When Dean turns to us, my breath catches. His face is changed. It's not blissful like I imagined, there's a determination on his face. A fire I've seen in his eyes before. The intention to kill.

I feel beads of sweat drip down my forehead.

"Dean," I plea softly. "Dean, it's us. It's Jo, it's Sam. Hey." My lip trembles. "Snap out of it." I glare past him at Amara. "You twisted bitch."

"You should have known it would end like this," she says in her soft lilt. "You should've ran when you had the chance." She looks at Dean. "You know what you have to do."

"Well, it's not kill us, that's for sure," I sass the Darkness. But Dean takes those steps towards us. "He won't do it." It's just for show. It's to trick her. But he's risking a lot to try and trick her, his life for starters.

"Dean, come on, this isn't funny," Sam says in a wavering voice.

When the hell did that get there? I see the First Blade nestled into Dean's right hand. My breathing escalates when I see the familiar red Mark of Cain on his right forearm. But isn't it gone?

"Dean, hey," I say loudly. He doesn't even flinch, he makes his slow way towards us. "Hey, come on. You've beat this before, do it again. Please." The animal jaw blade remains low at my brother's side. He's not snapping out of it.

"If you chose our side, this wouldn't have to happen," says Amara.

"Like he chose this? You brainwashed him!" Dean seems to hone in on me first. "Dean, if this is an act, now's the time to show it." His silence scares me. His eyes are focused but not at the same time. "Please. Don't let her win. Don't choose her over us."

"I already did."

I don't even scream as he thrusts the First Blade through my chest, but Sam does. At the same time, as though the weather knew this would happen, a rumble of thunder sounds overhead. The breath is knocked out of me, and I stare at my older brother in horror. He doesn't bat an eye, doesn't even shed a tear. It's like he's become Amara's puppet.

He's just sentenced me to eternal death. He's sentenced his niece to death. Will this be a dream, when he wakes up and realizes what he's done? I see past my brother to find Amara smirking. I want to claw that stupid smirk off her fucking face.

"D-Dean," I simper, feeling the extreme pain in my chest.

"Jo!" Sam screams. I think back to the times where I've heard that fear for me in his voice. The day I left him, Dean, and Dad when I had the window. When Sam rushed me to the hospital and watched me die there. When I got bit by that vampire and lost a hell of a lot of blood. "Dean, snap out of it! Dean!"

But our older brother doesn't stir. He doesn't say a word. He just watches as the life fades from my eyes.

Dean Winchester is lost.

***

"Son of a bitch."

I rub my eyes, pushing my hair back. Since Chuck, Lucifer, Sam, and Dean left on their big plan to stop Amara for good, I figured I'd head to bed. I crashed the second my head hit the pillow. I didn't realize that when I did I was letting a nightmare seep into my mind.

I'm safe here. I adjust the pillow under my head, curling tighter into a ball. I put an arm over my stomach, and the baby nudges me. I smile faintly. They're right, as much as I hate to admit it. I need to start a life for us. I can't keep hunting. How much time until I have her? I close my eyes, mulling a lot of things over. I need a good exit plan from hunting. This baby, my daughter, is the ticket out. I can't go back into hunting after she's born, there's just no way. I won't give her up for adoption, I won't want anyone but myself to watch over her. I'm attached to her and I've only recently discovered she exists. Some mother I'm already being.

Something makes the skin on the nape of my neck crawl. I open my eyes slowly, peeking at the doorway.

I jump out of bed when I see that it's Amara in the way.

I pull out the angel blade from under my mattress. She smiles at me in amusement, and I shake slightly in her presence. How did she get in here? There are wardings. But an awful thought sinks my stomach.

They may not exist if she's found a way to remove them.

"You've got one chance before things get ugly," I threaten in a sleepy growl. I feel more awake than I sound right now.

She chuckles. "Put the blade down before you hurt yourself."

I dare to take a few steps closer towards her. "How'd you get in here?"

"Use your imagination." She puts a hand out towards me, and I'm waiting to be consumed in darkness. Waiting for something bad to happen to me to end my life and my unborn child's. Instead, I feel my limbs freeze. I strain to move, but I can't.

I've been like this before, but the first time, a demon kept me captive like this.

"We've never properly introduced," I say bitterly. "Josette Winchester."

"I guessed as much." She steps into my bedroom, which feels like a violation in privacy.

"What are you doing here?"

"You know why I'm here. Instead, I found you, snuggled in your bed." She smirks. "I know you can answer this for me. Where are they?"

"Who?"

"Don't lie, it's not very nice."

"Oh, you mean my brothers, Lucifer, and your brother? I don't know where they are."

"Hmm...I don't know if I believe you on that."

"H-how did you get here?" I say quietly, feeling her magic continue to hold my body in its current position. "How did you find this place?"

"Your prophet."

Oh no. "Donatello?" He's most likely dead. The poor guy, a prophet for a few days. He's most likely gone. Amara most likely killed him. I'll be amazed if I see him alive.

"I can just as easily find them the same way." Her one hand hovers near my face. "There are many ways I can pull the answer from you."

"I'm telling you, I don't know where they went."

"Well, then you must know what they're planning."

"That's too obvious." I feel my veins pop in my angel blade wielding arm.

She tilts her head, watching me. "You can't stop the end. None of you can. God will fall, and you will all fall after Him."

Such big words coming from a woman who is about to lose this war. "You're not the first monster to threaten the world's end. We Winchesters are pretty defiant."

"So you've proven again and again." I see something behind her eyes.

"Are you going to kill me?" She has the perfect chance to slaughter me.

"In due time. I'm saving that for later. You and I, we're going to a party. A little birdie told me where God is."

Crap. She's going to head them off. The plan won't even get started by then, unless...unless this is part of it? Amara wouldn't resist the information of her brother's whereabouts. If our team got assembled, then maybe this is part of the plan. But who's the...? Rowena. She was sucking up to the Darkness before. She had to have made contact with her once before. She must've reached out again.

Amara can torture me if she wants, but she can't find a plan that I know nothing about in my head. But apparently I'm still useful, as I'm now being pulled out of the bunker and into the trap. But she won't use me as a shield, that's stupid of her.

I'm still frozen in place as Amara goes to me, putting a hand on my arm. I expect black veins to crawl along my skin. I expect myself to drop dead.

Instead, we teleport, just outside of an abandoned power plant. I still have my angel blade, which is a shock to me. Interesting choice of arena. And there, with her back turned to us, is Rowena. I've never felt so relieved to see the witch until now.

Amara keeps a strong hold on my arm, and I feel like I still can't move even if I want to.

"He's here," says Amara. Rowena turns, and she's a little surprised to find me at the Darkness's side. That makes two of us.

"Yes," says Rowena. "Right inside." She takes a step forward. "Our deal holds? Safe passage back in time? I went out on a limb for you—betrayed God, of all people."

"You didn't betray God. You betrayed me. I knew this was a trap the moment you called. I didn't care. All I've ever wanted is a one-on-one with my brother. And you've just given it to me. The question is how am I going to repay you?"

"Attenuare!" Rowena shouts.

Amara releases me, but I'm still frozen in place, as the purples streaks attack her. She barely reacts. "That tickles. Do you really think the power of one witch can hurt me?"

"I'm not just one witch." Rowena screams that same word, over and over again. The purple streaks hit Amara again, and I find myself squinting from the brightness of it. This dose of power seems to be affecting her. This can't really be the plan, can it? Rowena can't really stop her here.

"Enough," Amara hisses. She redirects the spell back at Rowena, who gets thrown to the ground. "Points for trying."

My eyes go skyward at the sound of thunder. The clouds are as black as Amara's dress, and bouts of lightning streak the sky. Amara opens her arms wide, chuckling. But she and I scream as a bolt of energy slams down on top of her. The light washes over all of us. The angels.

My ears pick up the noise of demon smoke in the air. And sure enough, a whole hoard of black smoke flies in the air, all gunning for Amara. Any nearby lights explode. I watch with wide eyes as Amara is lifted off of the ground by the demon smoke. She swats as though it'll help her.

"No! Get back!" she roars. "No!" Her scream of rage sends my hands to my ears. Wait. I'm free. I watch Amara get swallowed up in the sea of black demon smoke. Get your ass moving! Head inside!

I gun it for the power plant, my hands frantically finding the door. This place is the safest for me now, no doubt. The rest of the team has to be inside, waiting, because most likely what's going on out here won't fully stop Amara.

I find the entrance and bust in, slamming the door behind me so fast and hard. I can't believe I'm thinking it, but, I owe Rowena a huge favor. Actually, I think I owe everyone who's behind that attack outside. It broke Amara's concentration, allowing me to escape. What would've happened to me if I couldn't get moving?

"Jo?"

I find Sam, Dean, Lucifer, and Chuck all looking at me. Crowley is nowhere to be found. He might be out there battling Amara. My brothers and Chuck look very surprised and a bit horrified. Lucifer meanwhile looks as though I spoiled the plan just by appearing.

I wave weakly. "Hiya, fellas," I squeak.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean snaps.

"Amara. She got in." I clear my throat, walking towards him. "I swear I didn't go after her, she found me. Guess this means we'll have to re-ward the bunker later."

"Are you okay?" asks Sam.

"I-I'm fine. Sorry, guys. I guess if Amara didn't bring me, I'd be here in some form or another."

"Jo, that's not funny."

I shrug.

"The whole point of leaving you behind was so that you didn't get involved," says Lucifer.

"Is that concern I hear?" I ask smartly.

"Concern, hardly. I wasn't a fan before, I'm not a fan now."

"The feeling's mutual." I step into the warehouse. "Besides," I look at my brothers, "I wasn't planning on leaving all of this for good until Cas comes back. Clearly, he's not back." I gesture to Lucifer.

The Devil groans dramatically. "If you're so pissy about it, I can have him back here."

"I don't trust that." I eye him suspiciously. "You've tricked us before."

"Well, aren't you a smart cookie? Gold star for you."

If Lucifer wasn't in Cas's body, I would so punch him right now. "If you weren't in his body, I'd stab you with this." I jiggle the angel blade threateningly.

"Jo, you gotta scram now, while you still can," Dean insists.

I laugh hollowly. "Where can I run, Dean? Where can I run where she can't possibly find me?"

"You're lucky you're not dead."

"Oh, don't worry. She's got plans for all of us." I swallow.

"You gotta zap her back to the bunker," Sam insists to Chuck. "She can't be here."

"I agree," says Chuck. But before he can poof me anywhere, we hear silence on the other end of the door.

It doesn't last long, as the door opens once again, revealing a rather battle-worn Amara.

She staggers through the door, breathing so heavily I'm sure she's about five seconds away from passing out. Her cuts bleed, and her color is pale. This is the first time I think I've seen the Darkness look almost defeated. But it took a lot of angels, demons, and witch power to weaken her just enough.

Sam and I stop Dean as we both see him try and go to Amara.

"Hello, brother," Amara pants to Chuck. "You cheated. Again. But—" She screeches in pain as Lucifer, with some sort of battle cry, charges up behind her, stabbing her through with a spear. He rips the spear out, and Amara falls.

"Ah, son," Chuck shouts as Lucifer goes to stab Amara a second time. Lucifer backs off, and now Amara is whimpering from her pain. "I'm sorry. For this, for everything."

"An apology at last. What's sorry to me? I spent millions of years crammed into that cage alone and afraid, wishing, begging for death because of you! And what was my crime, brother?"

"The world needed to be born! And you wouldn't let me! Amara, you give me no choice."

"That's your story. Not mine. The real reason you banished me, why I couldn't be allowed to exist, you couldn't stand it. Yeah, we're equals. We weren't great or powerful because we stood only in relation to each other. You think you made the archangels to bring light? No. You made them to create lesser beings, to make you large." Amara struggles to her feet. "To make you Lord. It was ego! You wanted to be big!"

"That's true," Chuck admits. "But it isn't the whole truth. There's a value, a glory in creation that's greater and truer than my pride or my ego. Call it grace, call it being! Whatever it is, it didn't come from my hands. It was there waiting to be born. It just is, as you and I just were. Since you've been freed, I know that you've seen it. Felt it."

Amara glances over at Dean, who dips his head down to avoid any eye contact. "It didn't have to be like this. I loved you, brother." She laughs bitterly. "Well, you've won again." She exhales a heavy sigh. "Finish it. Kill me."

"I'm sorry."

"No. No! No!"

I don't understand what Amara is panicking about until I see her looking on her chest. The Mark of Cain. Guess I should've guessed that. Beside me, Sam grunts in pain, and I see the red mark begin to imprint itself on his skin. Sam, no. What the hell is this? I look at Sam, then at Dean, at Lucifer, and at Chuck in utter confusion and horror. Did we learn nothing from Dean's time with the Mark? Now Sam needs to have it?!

"I'm so sorry," Chuck says.

"No. Not again!" Amara lunges for Chuck, grabbing his throat, hoisting him upwards. "Not ever again!" I step back in horror as Chuck rises into the air, struggling for breath as though an invisible hand has him by his throat.

Yelling, Lucifer charges for Amara again. This time, she flings him across the room, against a support pillar far across the room. I realize the spear has been dropped on the floor, beckoning to me.

"Goodbye, nephew," says Amara.

"Cas!" I hear Dean shout as I run for the spear, grabbing it from the floor. I rush at Amara, who freezes me in mid-run, limbs locked and shaking from the strain of trying to move. Both weapons in my hand, and I can't use either of them.

She looks amused at my attempt. I feel a fire of hatred settle in my belly. "I'll take that." She plucks the spear from my hand, breaking it in half. She then pulls the angel blade out of my other hand. "Like I told you before, once He falls, you all fall with Him."

I'm not sure who's screaming more: myself, Sam, or Dean, as she runs the angel blade diagonally from my left shoulder down to my right hip in a deep gash. The entire time, I can feel the tip of the angel blade splitting open my skin. The worst part is that I can't move to cover the bleeding.

"Forget what God said about balance, you're gonna die, bitch," I hiss.

"Not before you." She strikes me across the face with the bloody angel blade, which cuts into my right cheek.

The spell on my body breaks, and I hit the ground as a lump, bleeding from my face and my chest. I struggle to breathe.

"Jo!" I hear Sam shout. Dean, meanwhile, rushes at Amara, who in turn flings him away with little effort.

"I'd die a million times and murder you a million more before going back there!" Amara hisses at Chuck, who's still struggling for breath in mid-air. "Tell me, if you won't change, why should I?"

"Amara, no!" Dean yells. Black tendrils emerge at the Darkness's feet, and one after another, they pound into Chuck. Each hit produces a small bout of light. I feel the tears prickle in my eyes. This is a horrible dream.

"Sorry, brother."

Chuck is engulfed in bright light, too much. I duck under my arms as it becomes almost unbearable to glance at. Once the light disappears, I hear a thud.

I let out a strangled cry as Chuck's body remains motionless on the floor at Amara's feet.

**Yeah...there are no words here.**