Chapter Six, Unwelcome Surprise

Harley stood frozen in her bedroom doorway, staring at the person standing in her room. A woman in a white nightgown with medium length, curly blonde hair, just like her own.
"M-Mum." Harley croaked, tears filling her eyes at the sight of her mother she never knew.
"Hello Harlene." Mary Winchester said, smiling at her with a creepy smile upon her face and ceasing banging the table lamp that had been the source of the noise.
"W-what're you doing here?" Harley asked, her voice shaking and her gun slack in her hand.
"You see, I was just a happy wife to a wonderful husband and a happy mother of three gorgeous children, but you, you have this power. These visions, and you didn't warn me about my own gruesome death!" Mary said darkly.

"I was six months old! I couldn't even talk! How in the hell was I supposed to tell you even if I could control them which I can't!" Harley argued, she wanted to get away from there but her feet would not leave the spot by the door. It was like someone had frozen her to the spot.
"It doesn't matter. I'm here for my revenge!" Mary said darkly, smirking at Harley as she waved her hand twice; once to remove the gun from her hand and the second to throw Harley against the wall in the room.

***

Dean and Sam had finally arrived and they couldn't find Harley or Bobby anywhere and fear was starting to boil within their stomachs. Trying to keep his cool Dean suggested they split up to look for them. So Sam was searching the junk yard while Dean was searching the house. He'd had no luck downstairs so now he was searching upstairs.
"Bobby? Rosie?" He called. A door at the end of the hall slowly opened, but no one was visible.
"Come out, come out, whoever you are!" Dean exclaimed.
"Dean Winchester. Still so bossy. You don't recognize me?" Meg asked. "This is what I looked like before that demon cut off my hair and dressed me like a slut!"

"Meg?" Dean asked.
"Hi. It's okay, I'm not a demon." Meg said. "No, you're just the girl the demon possessed." Dean said a little sarcastically.
"Meg Masters. Nice to finally talk to you when I'm not, you know, choking on my own blood." Meg said, holding up her hands. "It's okay. Seriously, I'm just a college girl. Sorry - was. I was walking home one night and got jumped by all this black smoke. Next thing you know, I'm a prisoner..." she said, putting a hand to her head. "In here. Now, I was awake. It kept me awake. I had to watch while she murdered people."
"I'm sorry" Dean apologised.
"Oh, yeah? So sorry you had me thrown off a building?" Meg asked.

"Well, we thought--" Dean started, but Meg cut him off.
"No, you didn't think! I kept waiting, praying! I was trapped in there screaming at you! 'Just help me, please!'" She screamed. "You're supposed to help people, Dean. Why didn't you help me?"
"I'm sorry." Dean apologised again.
"Stop saying you're sorry!" She yelled, and then she suddenly slapped Dean, knocking him to the floor.
"Meg. Meg..." Meg kicked him, cutting him off. "We didn't know!" Dean said.
"No... You just attacked. Did you ever think there was a girl in here?" Meg asked "No. You just charged in, slashing and burning. You think you're some kind of hero?"
"No, I don't." Dean denied, shaking his head.

Meg grabbed hold of Dean's jacket. Her hand had a type of brand on it.
"You're damn right. Do you have any idea what it's like to be ridden for months by pure evil... while your family has no idea what happened to you?" She asked.
"We did the best we could." Dean tried again, while Meg stood over him.
"It wasn't just me, Dean. I had a sister. A little sister. She worshipped me. Like your little Rosie, she worships big brother Dean. You know how little siblings are, right?" She asked. "How they'll do anything for you. She was never the same after I disappeared. She just... she just got lost. Hmm, kinda like Rosie when you went to Hell. And when my body was lying in the morgue beat-up and broken..."

"Meg..." Dean tried, trying to sound calm but the more she talked about Harley the more pissed off he became.
"Do you know what that did to her? She killed herself!" She screamed, as she kicked Dean in the stomach. "Because of you, Dean! Because all you were thinking about was your family, your revenge, and your demons! Fifty words of Latin a little sooner, and I'd still be alive. My baby sister would still be alive. That blood is on your hands, Dean!"
"You're right!" Dean said. Meg kicked at him again. Then Dean took out a gun and aimed it at Meg.
"Come on, Dean, did your brain get french-fried in Hell?" Meg asked. "You can't shoot me with bullets!"

"I'm not shooting you." Dean said, aiming his gun and shooting at the ceiling. The chandelier fell and landed on Meg. "Iron, bitch. And don't ever talk about Rosie like that." Suddenly an inhuman scream rang throughout the house. "Rosie!" Dean yelled. He quickly jumped to his feet and ran to the room where the screaming was coming from; Rosie's bedroom. He kicked open the door and saw a woman standing above her torturing her. What hurt was that it was their own mother torturing his baby sister. Shaking off his brief shock as anger filled him Dean pointed his gun and shot rock salt at her, causing her to dissipate.
"Rosie!" Dean ran over her. She was covered in blood, her arms full of cuts and an iron poker was stuck in her leg.

"Dean." She whispered hoarsely.
"I'm here, Rosie. I'm here." Dean said, agitated.
"My leg...Mum..." Harley trailed off.
"Hey, don't think about that now. Whatever she said to you, it isn't true, but we have to take it out and it's gonna hurt like a bitch." Dean said, giving her a serious look.
"I don't care, just take it out. But pass me my gun in case she comes back." Harley said in pain, pointing to the other side of the room. Dean handed her his gun just in case while he quickly slid across the room on his knees and grabbed the gun before hurrying back to his hurt baby sister.
"Okay, Rosie, don't look." Dean said, trying to remain calm as he brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Hurry up!" Harley screamed in pain and fear, her words slurring together a little.
"All right, on three." He said, grabbing the iron poker. Harley nodded and clenched her hand in Dean's shirt. "One... two..." He pulled it out, making her scream in pain.
"Fuck!" She yelled in pain.
"Okay, hold on a sec." He said, handing Harley her gun and quickly running to the linen closet in the hall before running back with two towels that he wrapped around her leg before tying the other one around it, trying to stem the blood flow. At least until they could properly patch her up.
"What did she say?" Dean asked, never willing to say Mum again, as her ghost has just tortured his baby sister.
"That I killed her." Harley said in tears but her voice was ice cold.

"Hey! You did not kill her. Yellow-eyes did!" Dean said firmly, trying not to look at his sister's blood covering his hands.
"Well, according to her, I might as well have as I didn't have a vision about it and warn her. Never mind that I was six months old and couldn't talk." Harley said, rolling her eyes, but hurt, pain and betrayal shined brightly within her green eyes. "But that was enough for her to want revenge on me."
"What a joke!" Dean seethed in absolute rage, as he finished bandaging her leg with the towels before grabbing a belt to tie around her leg for good measure. "Never looking at, or even thinking about her in the same way again!" He growled, practically vibrating with anger. He's never been so angry in his life. He took a deep breath as he holstered his gun and picked Harley up into his arms.
"Sorry." Dean apologised, when Harley cried out in pain. "Let's go find Bobby."

***

When Dean entered Bobby's study with Harley in his arms both Sam and Bobby, who was a little banged up but not as bad as Harley, looked on in horror.
"What happened?" Bobby asked, jumping to his feet and clearing a space on the sofa.
"The ghost of our mother." Dean said coldly.
"Wait what?" Sam asked. "T-the ghost of... why would she hurt Harley?"
"She blamed me for her death and wanted revenge, as I didn't have a vision and warn her." Harley explained for a second time.
"But you were six months old. If anything she should want revenge on me.." Sam started but Dean cut him off.
"Not the point Sam!" Dean shouted. "The point is she, I'm never calling her Mum again, didn't see it that way and tortured our baby sister!"
"All right, calm down." Bobby said firmly, but even he was vibrating with anger as he checked on Harley.

"Are you okay Bobby?" Harley asked concerned. "I'm sorry I -"
"Hey, none of that. I'm fine." Bobby said firmly, "besides I should apologise to you. I couldn't protect you." He said sadly, kissing Harley's forehead. Once he was sure Harley was okay until they could patch her up properly, Bobby returned to his desk and explained what happened to him, and his best guess at what was going on. While Dean sat on the arm of the sofa near Harley's feet and Sam paced around the room.
"So, they're all people we know?" Sam asked.

"Not just know. People we couldn't save. Hey, I saw something on Meg. Did she have a tattoo when she was alive?" Dean asked.
"I don't think so." Sam said, shaking his head. Harley shook her head too.
"It was like a-- a mark on her hand-- almost like a brand." Dean said.
"I saw a mark, too, on Henriksen." Sam added.
"It was on her too." Harley added.
"What did it look like?" Bobby asked.
"Can you pass me some paper please?" Harley asked, taking the offered pen and paper. "Thanks." She added, as she started sketching the mark.

"That's it." Dean said, nodding. "Here, take some painkillers." Dean said, reaching into the emergency First Aid kit in his bag and bringing out some painkillers and a small water bottle for his baby sister.
"Thanks." Harley muttered, swallowing it with a gulp of water.
"I may have seen this before." Bobby said, just as the radio suddenly turned on and off to static. "We got to move."
"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed, at the radio and as a wind started from nowhere.
"Follow me!" Bobby said, handing Sam a few books.
"Okay, where are we going?" Sam asked.

"Some place safe, you idjit!" Bobby snapped, as Dean gently picked up Harley and followed Bobby down to the basement. They stopped in front of a large door. Bobby opened the door, revealing a room which was made entirely of iron and covered with pentagrams and Devil's traps.
"Bobby, is this..." Sam started saying, touching the wall.
"Solid iron." Bobby nodded. "Completely coated in salt. So it's 100% ghost-proof. And the room we were gonna lock you in? Yeah it is."

"You built a panic room?" Sam asked, ignoring the comment, he didn't want them to catch on that he was still in contact with Ruby, as he'd sneak out while they slept.
"Harley and I had a weekend off." Bobby said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Bobby?" Dean said.
"What?" Bobby asked.
"I said it once and I'll say it again: you're awesome! And so are you Rosie." Dean smiled.
"Nah, Bobby is." Harley grinned, looking around the room she'd got supplies for and helped build.

***

In the safe room Sam and Dean were making rock salt shotgun shells, while Bobby and Harley looked through some of the books their pseudo father and Sam had brought down.
"See, this is why I can't get behind God! Even knowing there's Angels and Archangels." Dean said.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked nonplussed.
"If he doesn't exist, fine." Dean said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason-- just random, horrible, evil-- I get it, okay. I can roll with that. But now knowing he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he, while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help? Look at Rosie! She was tortured by the ghost of our own... by Mary for pity sake!" He asked.

"I ain't touching this one with a 10-foot pole." Bobby said.
"Yeah." Dean scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Found it!" Harley exclaimed, passing the book to Bobby.
"What?" Sam asked.
"The symbol we saw-- the brand on the ghosts..." Harley said.
"Yeah?" Sam asked intrigued.
"Mark of the Witness" Bobby and Harley said at the same time.
"Witness? Witness to what?" Sam asked.
"The unnatural. None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts-- they were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone raised them... on purpose." Bobby explained.
"Who?" Sam asked.

"Do I look like I know?" Bobby asked. "But whoever it was, used a spell so powerful it left a mark, a brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called 'the rising of the witnesses'. It figures into an ancient prophecy!"
"Wait, wait. What-- what book is that prophecy from?" Dean asked.
"Well, the widely distributed version is just for tourists, you know. But long story short-- Revelations. This is a sign, kids." Bobby said.
"A sign of what?" Sam and Dean asked in unison.
"The apocalypse" Harley said.
"Apocalypse? The apocalypse, apocalypse? The four horsemen, pestilence, $5-a-gallon-gas apocalypse?" Dean asked.

"That's the one." Bobby nodded. "The rise of the witnesses is a -- a mile marker."
"Okay, so, what do we do now?" Sam asked.
"Road trip. Grand Canyon, Star Trek Experience. Binge Harry Potter." Dean said, making Harley smile. He knew she was obsessed with it.
"First things first. How about we survive our friends out there?" Bobby asked.
"Great. Any ideas aside from staying in this room until Judgment Day? And where is Gabriel?" Dean asked.
"I texted him when we were in the study, he said some Angels caught wind of him and he had to escape and shake them off. Said he'd be here as soon as he could." Harley explained, looking at her phone and reading the message aloud.

"Great." Dean complained, throwing his hands in the air. He's only met one Angel besides Gabriel and they're already messing things up. He didn't want Gabriel here to help with the ghosts, they could handle that, he wanted him here to heal Harley as she's going grey from blood loss.
"It's going to be okay, Dee." Harley smiled at him, using his nickname.
"It's a spell to send the witnesses back to rest. Should work." Bobby said.
"Should?" Sam scoffed. "Great!"
"If I translate it correctly. I think I got everything we need here at the house." Bobby said.
"Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?" Dean asked.

"So, you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden?" Bobby asked. "Spell has got to be cast over an open fire."
"The fireplace in the library." Harley suggested.
"Bingo!" Bobby nodded.
"That's just not as appealing as a, uh, ghost-proof panic room, you know?" Dean asked. They packed up their weapons, Harley making a last few rounds of rock-salt for her brothers as she knew she had to stay in the panic room as she couldn't walk. Didn't mean she had to like it though.
"Rosie, I want you to stay here and wait for us to get back." Dean told Harley sternly.
"I know I can't walk but can't I sit next to Bobby and help him get the spell ready while you and Sam are shooting the ghosts?" Harley asked, trying her luck.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but you'll just ruin that leg more. Plus Dean will have to carry you and we need all the cover we can get. We're severely outnumbered as it is." Bobby said gently.
"Fine, but please be careful." Harley begged. "I just got you back Dee, I don't - I can't bury you again." Harley said distraught.
"I promise Rosie." Dean said, pulling his sister into a tight hug and kissing her forehead.
"Cover each other. And aim carefully. Don't run out of ammo until I'm done, or they'll shred you. Ready?" Bobby asked. They made their way out of the room and Bobby quickly closed the door behind him, giving Harley one last look at them.

Sam, Dean and Bobby headed towards the stairs only to pause as a ghost sat at the top of the stairs, a young man in his early twenties with curly dark hair.
"Hey, Dean. You remember me?" He asked.
"Ronald, huh? With the laser eyes?" Dean asked. "I wish I could say it's good to see you." He added.
"I am dead because of you and your sister. You were both supposed to help me!" Ronald shouted. Bobby shot at the ghost.
"If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk!" Bobby reprimanded, shaking his head as he climbed the stairs cautiously.

***

Harley was bored, she didn't know how long it had been since the others had left, but to her it seemed like an eternity. She had tried to read through the books left behind but she was feeling drowsy and could barely stay awake. As she was about to fall asleep, she heard the door open.
"Hey, Rosie, I'm back." Dean said.
"Finally" Harley sighed. "Are you and Bobby okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine, I'm fine and so is Sam." Dean explained.
"Good." Harley sighed, as relief filled her. As Dean went to pick her up; Harley suddenly went into another vision on what the mark of the witness was all about. When she came too blinking slowly Dean and Gabriel were in front of her looking greatly concerned and calling her name.

"Don't scare me like that!" Dean cried, pulling Harley into a hug. "What was that all about?"
"What we just went through, it was a seal. A seal to release Gabriel's older brother, Lucifer from the cage where he's been locked away." Harley explained grimly. "I'm sorry Gabe-"
"Hey, it's not your fault. I'm sorry I couldn't be here to stop you from being tortured." Gabriel said quietly, his voice full of pain. "But I can heal you." He added, as he placed two fingers, two glowing fingers, on her forehead. After a moment all of Harley's injuries were practically non-existent, even the old scars she got from hunting over the years were gone, her leg was completely healed and the effects of the blood loss were gone.

"Wow." Dean was amazed at how fast Gabriel's powers worked and how effective they were.
"Come on. You both need to eat and I brought food with me." Gabriel said sternly, entwining his fingers with Harley. "And there's more you should know. Don't worry I'll protect your minds from my brothers and sisters so they won't know you know." He added, as Dean glared at their joined hands for a moment before he sighed and let it go. After the day Harley had she deserved this and Gabriel made her happy, but as soon as it changed, or if it changed Dean would fry his Archangel arse extra crispy.

***

Later that night Harley got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water after a horrifying nightmare of her own mother torturing her. She wished it was just a dream, a horrible dream but it was not. It was a memory. As she entered the kitchen she spotted Sam sitting at the kitchen table. She ignored him as she got a glass and filled it up from the tap with cold water.
"Harley." Sam said unsurely.
"What do you want?" Harley sighed, putting down the glass and turned to face him; crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm so sorry Harley." Sam apologised.
"Hmm, let me think..." Harley said, pretending to think before she glared at her Irish twin. "I don't care Samuel." She said coldly.

"Harley, please forgive me? I'm really sorry." Sam asked.
"Why?" Harley hissed. "You left me. You left me when I needed my big brother the most! Do you really think that apologising is going to fix everything? After you called me a slut not two days ago! And don't you dare go and play the brother card! You weren't the only one who lost a brother Samuel! I lost both of mine!" Harley spat venomously, when Sam went to open his mouth only to quickly close it at her words. There was a tense silence in the kitchen for all of a minute, until Dean walked in.

"What's wrong, Dean?" Sam asked, acting like nothing was wrong when Dean had heard the argument and his anger towards his brother rose.
"So, we know about angels, so I guess you have no problem believing in God?" Dean asked Sam, coming to stand besides Harley and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. They hadn't told Sam about what Gabriel had said.
"No, not really." Sam said, shrugging his shoulders, a confused look on his face.
"Then I guess you won't have a problem believing in the Devil." Dean said casually.
"Why are you asking me this?" Sam asked.
"Because the mark of the witness was a seal to break Lucifer out of his cage and it was broken. There's sixty-six seals that need to be broken to free him." Harley and Dean explained together.